


Unexpected Surprises

by Nectardust



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, After Chapter 8, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Crack Treated Seriously, Fluff, Humor, M/M, Mpreg, Plot, Pregnant!Roy, RoyEd completely consensual, Sex, Work Up For Adoption, all the feels, edroy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2020-06-22 08:50:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 43,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19663963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nectardust/pseuds/Nectardust
Summary: Roy Mustang is the victim. In every way.Things go terribly wrong when the State (and the Sins) take an interest in the Flame Colonel's impossible pregnancy.





	1. Ed Claims Dominance

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: FMA is not mine. Obviously.
> 
> Originally posted spanning from 2005 through 2006. Unbeta'ed and unchanged from original post.
> 
> ~~Skimming over this so many years later, I see so much that needs fixing. But in the spirit of honoring my old work as the foundation for my growth and progress...~~
> 
> ~~BUT GOD THAT REDUNDANT TITLE. AND SOME SEXIST OUTLOOKS PLAYED FOR CHEAP LAUGHS. I AM ASHAMED OF TEENAGE!ME~~
> 
> Roy is 32, Ed and Winry are 18, and Al is 17.
> 
> ***Archive warnings for rape/noncon, violence, and psychological torture are included for the end of Chapter 7.***

Roy Mustang paused as he looked over his newly-designed alchemy array, tracing the chalk with gloved fingertips as he mentally checked the mathematical formulas associated with the transmutation circle. He had devoted himself to catching up on his own research while Ed was out of town, since he had nothing to distract him (say, towards the bedroom) and so had no excuse to get out of doing work. He supposed he preferred alchemy research to paperwork, though 'heaven' help him if Hawkeye ever find out.

Still, Hawkeye had the uncanny ability to know exactly what was going on at all times. Nobody knew how she did it, but the woman had keen perception. There was no way she could _not_ know how Roy despised paperwork, though the Colonel's constant complaints would be a dead-giveaway, even to a normal person. But Hawkeye was most definitely not normal; she was extraordinary. And although she was an exceptional soldier and friend, Roy's feelings didn't develop into what most had inferred would happen. The two stayed intimate friends and co-workers, commanding officer and subordinate, but their relationship didn't progress further into something even the slightest bit romantic. Probably because Roy didn't want to risk developing a relationship that could break his friendship with the First Lieutenant when he didn't have strong emotional attachments to her, save comradeship, while he _did_ have definite feelings for a certain blond alchemist…

And speaking of a certain blond alchemist, the front door slamming was a sure sign of the Fullmetal's return home.

Fighting a ludicrous smile off his face, the Flame Alchemist strode into the front room to greet his boyfriend, leaving his alchemy research behind now that Edward had come back. "So, how was your trip?" Roy asked, referring to Ed's recent vacation to Resembool to visit Alphonse and Winry. He was loathe to say 'your trip home,' since the blonde's home was now with Roy in Central City.

Edward shrugged, flashing his lover a small smile. "It was fun…but I missed you. And besides, Al and Winry were still getting used to one another. The way those two were going at it, I think there'll be another Elric in the family soon. It just made me miss you more when those two would go off together. And it was blatantly obvious what they were _doing_ ; I mean, I'm around _you_ often enough to recognize the little signs." Ed winked at Roy's half-shocked, half-innocent expression. He sighed then, looking at the wall past Roy's face. "I am rather jealous of Al, though. I mean, he's my younger brother and he gets to be the man in the relationship and yet _I'm_ always on the bottom in our relationship, begging for more like a lovesick little _girl_. This is _me_ we're talking about, Roy! The overconfident, pushy, determined, won't-take-no-for-an-answer, cocky, proud, in-control bastard!"

"You called yourself a bastard," Roy repeated, once more shocked. "Not me, for once. I'm impressed, Edward. And…if you want the position your younger brother has…then, tonight, you can…" He trailed off, not wanting to verbally voice the words he meant to express. That would mean giving up control, and Roy hated letting someone else be in control of him. But this was Edward Elric, his lover. And the only one he could trust in which to place that conviction and control.

The blonde blinked, golden eyes searching Roy's face for confirmation of the older's offer. "You mean you'll let me top?" he asked bluntly, maybe a bit overenthusiastically.

Nodding, Roy grinned at the Fullmetal Alchemist and stiffly stretched, getting to his feet to pad towards the bedroom. "Of course, Ed. I'm a bit tired from all the alchemy experiments I've been doing all day, anyways. It would be nice to have you doing all the work for a change. Just let me ride out the pleasure and…" Again, Roy cut his words short, smirking over his shoulder at Ed's stunned yet pleased face.

The blonde quickly followed the older, dark-haired man into their shared bedroom, pushing him onto the bed and climbing on top of him. Ed grinned down at Roy, cupping his Flame's face as he leaned down, smashing his lips against Roy's in a fierce kiss; releasing all his pent-up sexual frustration caused from being far away in Resembool for too long a time while being forced to endure knowing his brother's and sister-in-law's nightlife.

And something about that night seemed off somehow to the Flame Alchemist, but Roy figured it was only the change of roles of top and bottom. Ignoring the uneasy feeling in the back of his mind, he surrendered to the feelings welling up inside him from his lover's expert hands and lips.

-+-

"So, are there any sure results or consequences from your recent alchemic experimentation?" General Hakuro asked as he skimmed over Roy's report. Usually, the Colonel was looking over Fullmetal's reports, but that didn't mean he didn't have his own research to follow up on.

The Flame curtly shook his head. "None that I could pinpoint, Sir."

The General only nodded, filing the report away on his desk. "Right. Well then, may I ask what you were working on this time, Mustang?"

Startled, Roy only stood up straighter before his superior and nodded. "I was trying to see if I could design an array that could render it possible to create human life, without taking the forbidden route of human transmutation."

"It sounds suspicious," Hakuro admitted with a smirk, "but I'll trust you on this one, Colonel. I'm guessing your research was inspired by the success of the Elric brothers?"

Not knowing what to do, Roy didn't respond. He looked at the floor, keeping his mouth shut.

The General tilted his head at his subordinate, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully. "Say, I wonder _how_ the Fullmetal and his brother got the younger's body back?"

Roy's head shot up, dark eyes wide as he stared at Hakuro fearfully. He and Hawkeye had spent years covering the Elrics' true intentions, guarding their secrets. How could anybody unauthorized know about Al's soul being fused to the armor?

Hakuro smiled, almost evilly. "We make it a point to keep a close eye on the extraordinary lapdogs, Mustang. You'd do well to remember that not much escapes the military's keen eye. But don't worry; we're not going to arrest the Elrics. They've done too much for the country for us to arrest them without causing public unrest, and we can't afford any protest riots at the moment."

Roy breathed a sigh of relief before saluting smartly, feeling dizzy. He thought the feeling had been brought on by the intense relief of hearing his lover and his younger brother were safe from state punishment, but as the feeling overwhelmed him, he wasn't quite so sure as to the cause. At Hakuro's nod of dismissal, the Flame Alchemist turned to stagger from the door, his head buzzing so severely that he didn't notice his commanding officer's raised eyebrow.

Feeling immensely glad when he found his own office through the splatter of black dots sprinkled across his vision, Roy sank gratefully into his chair and rested his forehead against his desk. The cool feeling of the wood, along with the change of position allowing the blood to flow freely to his head, eased the fainting spell enough for Roy to feel slightly normal once again.

"What was that?" he mumbled to himself, shifting about slightly. He was sure he had raised odd stares with his drunken-like stumbling through the halls of the Central Headquarters.

Before he could figure out the upsetting physical feelings, his office door burst open to reveal the one person he could deal with at the moment. "Edward," Roy breathed, letting a genuine smile slip onto his face.

"What's wrong with you?" Ed asked, scrutinizing his lover. "You look pale, Roy. And a lot of people were saying you were lurching through the hallways. What happened?" He walked closer to the Colonel, ears straining for an answer.

Roy shrugged. "Just a slight fainting spell," he said.

"Did you eat this morning?" Ed pressed on, coming to a stop by Roy's side.

The black-haired man shook his head. "I felt sick this morning, remember? It's probably just the stomach flu. I'll be fine."

Ed glared, jerking Roy from his seat. "If you're sick, then you most definitely shouldn't be at work!"

"I have paperwork to do!" Roy exclaimed, gesturing to the pile. Riza Hawkeye may have been a close friend of his, but that didn't mean she let him take it easy in the office.

Ed gasped, jaw dropping in utter shock. "You really _are_ sick if you want to do _paperwork_!"

Roy only mumbled in response, swaying on his feet as he leaned against his lover.

Ed blinked, supporting Roy's weight. "How about I get you home and take care of you, hm? You're not going to get better if you keep pushing yourself. Working on your research plus all that paperwork…it's not good for your health, Colonel."

"You don't help with the whole rest thing," Roy muttered as he took a shaky step forward, letting Ed guide him towards the door.

"I didn't hear you protesting," the blonde snickered.

Roy shook his head, smiling ruefully. "No, I don't suppose I mind. You're one thing I do enjoy taking pleasure in, unlike most things," he said, glancing back to his desk full of work.

Ed blushed slightly and kept silent. Out of respect for his lover's health condition, he didn't rant and rage like he normally would have after such a suggestive remark. Still quiet, he pushed the door open and half-carried Roy from the office. "I'm taking the Colonel home. He's ill," he called out to anyone who bothered to hear him.

Riza Hawkeye looked up from her desk, eyes widening as she took in Roy's pale and shaky form. "Is he all right?" she asked, concerned. If her superior really was sick, then she would cover for him. Just as long as this wasn't some half-ass excuse to get out of work and go to bed with Edward…

Ed shook his head. "I hope so. He thinks it's just the flu, so we'll see. I'm taking him home and putting him straight to bed," he explained.

"And you're joining me," Roy whispered suggestively in the blonde's ear, causing the blush on Ed's face to deepen.

And unfortunately for Roy, Hawkeye heard the comment, as could be seen by her narrowing eyes. "Sir, I'd suggest that if you really _are_ ill, you keep such comments to yourself to save yourself more bodily harm." Roy only nodded, shivering. Seeing the instability of her boss, Riza's eyes softened with sympathy once more as she gestured for Edward to take him home. "Take care of him. Call me if you need anything."

Ed smiled his thanks before leading Roy slowly from the room.

Riza Hawkeye's eyes were trained towards the two departing alchemists for a long time after they had disappeared.

-+-

Edward sighed in relief once he finally got Roy upstairs to their bedroom. It had been a long journey for the two to take, walking quite a few blocks in Central to reach their house, and then having to make their way upstairs with an increasingly-sicker Roy Mustang. It was too bad Havoc had other business to attend to; otherwise they could have been chauffeured. "Lie down," the blonde ordered, though not unkindly. He had his lover's best interests at heart, after all.

Roy obliged, crawling onto the bedcovers. He breathed deeply once he could just lie there and rest, already feeling better thanks to the cool sheets and Ed's comforting presence. He closed his eyes, ignoring the burning as he tried to block the sickness from his mind. One eye opened as he felt familiar hands start to undress him, freeing his body from the confines of the strictly uncomfortable military uniform. Sighing thankfully, Roy let his eye slip closed once again as he shot Ed a grateful grin.

"Just want you to be comfortable," Ed murmured, rolling the sticky and sweaty clothes into a ball and tossing them in the hamper. He left the room, leaving Roy mostly undressed atop the sheets. Moments later, he returned with a bowl of water and a washcloth, which he placed on Roy's burning brow. With a separate damp towel, he swept the cloth over Roy's feverish body, letting the cool water refresh his sick lover.

Roy mumbled in his half-asleep state, only moving once Ed crawled into bed with him. Instinctively, the black-haired man scooted closer to the blonde and blindly wrapped his arms around the younger's familiar frame. Content finally, the Flame drifted off into a welcome sleep, keeping Ed's form snug against him even whilst he dozed.

Ed smiled and brushed his hand along Roy's cheek, staying by his lover's side throughout day and night; hoping Roy would feel better and doing everything in his power to keep the other happy and comfortable.

-+-

"Eat."

"I'm nauseated," Roy complained again, for the fourth day in a row. He had missed work for three and a half days, but Ed had called in and explained Roy's worsening condition to an understanding Hawkeye.

Ed growled, "You'll never feel better until you get some food in your system, you bastard. Now open up."

"I'll 'open up' in other ways," Roy joked slyly, coughing once the words were out of his mouth.

The blonde shook his head in exasperation. "Uh huh. Sure. You're not well enough, yet. And if you 'want any' anytime soon, I'd suggest you get better. And you need to _eat_ to get better!"

Roy kept his mouth firmly shut against the fork in Ed's hand.

Heaving a sigh, Ed set the plate of food down and crawled atop his lover in bed, straddling the other's hips. Roy smirked in satisfaction as Ed leaned down to kiss him. The Colonel may not have been hungry for food, but for Ed…? He returned the kiss hungrily, opening his mouth under Ed's onslaught. Feeling Ed's tongue twine around his, he moaned in appreciation—until he felt the blonde use his (skillful) tongue to push some tidbits of food into his now open mouth.

And thus Ed got at least a little food into Roy's system.

"I'm calling a doctor," Ed decided, picking up the phone and dialing the number he found in the phonebook.

Roy panicked. "Please don't, Edward! I haven't been to a doctor in…well, since the Ishbal Massacre."

Edward glared at his lover. "It's been a week and a half and you're not getting any better. I'm getting you professional help, bastard!"

Feeling too exhausted to argue, Roy only slumped down under the covers, frowning as he heard Ed's voice talking to a receptionist on the phone. He didn't _need_ a doctor. He was perfectly capable of taking care of himself, at least with Ed's help.

The blonde shot a worried look at his lover, his concern only increasing as Roy didn't bother to backtalk. Normally, Roy would continue to protest until he got his way; he was a very stubborn man. The fact that he gave up and 'agreed' to go see a doctor was an indication of just how sick he must be feeling. As he finished making an appointment, he walked back into the bedroom and began to throw some loose and comfortable clothes on the bed, dragging Roy out from under the covers. "Get dressed; I'm going to call Hawkeye. I'm scheduled for duty today, but she can be with you at the doctor's office. Okay?"

Roy groaned. Not that he'd ever admit it, but he'd prefer Ed to be with him while at a doctor's visit. It wasn't that he didn't trust Riza, she was one of his best friends, but Ed was special. "Riza isn't working?" he mumbled.

Ed shrugged. "I've taken time off work to be with you, so she has more sick days available to her. She can afford to miss an hour of work; I can't, not after the past week and a half I've missed to take care of you, you uncooperative bastard."

The Colonel mustered up the strength to glower at the younger alchemist. "'s not my fault I always feel like I'm gonna vomit, Ed…"

The blonde shrugged, a wry smile on his lips as he left the room for the phone to call Hawkeye; leaving Roy alone in the bedroom to get ready to face the public. Dialing the familiar number of Mustang's military office, knowing Hawkeye or Havoc was stationed to answer the phone, Ed fidgeted slightly as he waited. His eyes traveled to the bedroom door more often than necessary. "Hi, Lieutenant Hawkeye? Yeah, this is Ed. I've arranged a doctor's appointment for Roy, but I've missed too much work so I wanted to ask if you could…You would? Thanks! Okay, symptoms? He hasn't gotten any better. He's always tired and stressed out, even more snappy than usual, if you can believe it. He does have nausea problems, though he says it's just the Stomach Flu. He says he feels 'off,' but that's a given when one feels as sick as he does…I'm sure he just needs medicine to help him get over whatever it is. Oh! He also says he feels tender—I didn't mean it like _that_! Don't shoot me over the phone!" Grumbling, Ed hung up the phone to escape the First Lieutenant's calm wrath.

When he returned to the bedroom, Roy was sitting, dressed, on the bed, still a bit pale. The Flame looked up when he heard Ed enter the room, offering a wan smile as his lover helped him get downstairs. "Is Riza…?"

"She's coming," Ed confirmed. "And I'll get off-duty as fast as I can so I can come see how you are." Roy grinned at the promise, steadying himself as he focused on putting one foot in front of the other.

-+-

Roy squirmed as he sat in the waiting room at the doctor's office, glancing at the clock every ten seconds. He just wanted to lie down, hopefully with a blond teen cuddled to his side. Sighing for the umpteenth time, he knew it was impossible, considering he was at the doctor's, Ed was at Headquarters, and Riza Hawkeye was sitting beside him, flipping through the pages of a news magazine.

"Roy Mustang?" called the nurse as she opened the door, checking the clipboard she was holding to make sure of the patient's name.

"Finally," Roy groaned under his breath, Hawkeye shooting him a warning glare at the childish rudeness. He quickly rose to his feet before the rush of blood to his head forced him to sit back down again. Riza hooked a hand under his elbow and yanked him up again, supporting his weight as she helped him walk into the back rooms where Roy would be examined.

Before Roy could lie down in a private examining room, the nurse had to give him all sorts of, what Roy thought to be, meaningless tests. He had to be weighed (it seemed he had gained quite a few pounds), have his height measured (Roy imagined Ed throwing a tantrum if the positions were switched), have his blood pressure and pulse checked (how he hated anything but Ed touching him!), and have a blood sample drawn from his arm (what other fluids did they need?). Oh, and not to mention he had to play Twenty-Questions with the nurse while Riza rolled her eyes in the background.

"Name: Roy Mustang, right?"

"Correct."

"Age?"

"Thirty-two."

"You're obviously a male."

"Damn straight."

Riza muttered under her breath, "Yeah, anything _but_ straight…"

Roy purposefully ignored her, and it seemed the nurse didn't hear the comments.

"Profession?"

"State Alchemist."

"Codename?"

"Flame."

"Rank?"

"Full-ranking Colonel."

It was very obvious by this point that the nurse had been asking the last few questions for her own personal benefit. Surely the doctor could care less about the exact details of his military career! Roy's health certainly didn't depend on the bars and stripes on his uniform. "Wow, and you're so young!" The nurse exclaimed, clearly impressed. If Riza wasn't standing behind him, glaring warningly, the nurse might have had the gall to ask him out. But as it was, the young woman hurriedly continued to the next question. "Um, have you undergone any experimentation recently? Alchemy-wise, I mean. That's not normally a standard question, but given your profession, it may have interfered with your health."

Roy thought back, remembering his research while Ed was in Resembool. "Actually, yes. A couple weeks ago."

Nodding, the nurse asked her next question. "Any known allergic reactions to medication?"

Roy shook his head negatively. "None."

"Are you on any medications now?"

"Do I _look_ like the type of person that just gets drugged up?" Roy asked sarcastically in return. Riza slapped a hand to her forehead in frustration.

The young nurse, flustered, quickly shook her head. "No, Sir! Of course not. It's just a question; I didn't mean it offensively."

"Ignore him," Hawkeye broke in at last. "He's just cranky when he's tired," she explained sweetly, causing Roy to glare death at her.

Thankful for the blond lady's intervention, the nurse nodded a thankful smile and quickly scurried from the room. Roy sincerely hoped that she had been turned off the idea of approaching him romantically.

The two occupants remaining in the room were silent until the doctor's appearance.

"Based on your tests and physical examination," the doctor said after Roy was done being checked up on, "I'm not sure how to say this, but…"

Roy shifted impatiently. "Spit it out, old man. I haven't got all day, you know." Riza was past lecturing Roy on how to behave in public by this point.

The old doctor peered at Roy curiously. "I've never seen it happen before. But it seems…and the only reason I can come up with is your alchemy experimentation…but I'd like for you to take one more test before I say anything aloud."

"Not _another_ damned fucking test!" Roy exploded, snapping his fingers as he extended his hand towards the doctor. Too bad Ed forgot to lay out his gloves for him that morning.

Both the doctor and Hawkeye sighed. Not bothering to respond, the doctor only handed Roy a box and pointed down the hallway, where there was a bathroom at the end. "You need to go to the bathroom for the results to be interpreted correctly. Just read the directions on the box and come get me or the nurse when you're done."

He turned to leave, but reconsidered when he and Riza noticed Roy staring at the box incredulously, his dark eyes bugging from his head. " ** _You gave me a home fucking pregnancy test?_** "

The doctor merely nodded. "Like I said, I think your alchemy made it possible for your body to adapt to create life, but I'm not sure. Take the test and wait for the results. If worst comes to worst, I'll arrange for you to see an obstetrician, which is a specially-certified pregnancy doctor."

" _I know what a damn OB is, you crack doctor! How can I be **pregnant**? I'm a **guy** , dammit!" _Roy burst out.

"I just told you, your alchemy has left you exposed to certain…side-effects, shall we say, in your body that have made it possible for you to carry a child. It's a scientific breakthrough! I only don't understand why _you're_ the one pregnant and your girlfriend there isn't," the doctor wondered, scratching his gray beard as he nodded towards Riza.

Roy immediately snapped his fingers, again forgetting he didn't have his ignition gloves on his hands, as Riza went for her gun.

Seeing the reaction, the old doctor scrambled behind the door, staring out at the pair through the crack. "I didn't mean anything by that!" he squeaked. "I just don't understand why you're pregnant. I mean, even if alchemy left you able to carry a child, you'd still need the two initial components for a fetus to be born, an egg and a sperm. Since you're the one pregnant, you obviously had the egg, but that doesn't explain where the other comes from, unless-"

"I _have_ taken biology, thanks," Roy bit out, cutting the doctor off. "And you're the one with all the alchemic reasons, you quack."

The doctor shivered behind the door, hearing the venom in Roy's voice.

Riza rubbed her head, feeling a headache coming on from the afternoon's events. "I think I understand," she said softly, gaining both men's attention. "Mustang here-"

"- _is the girl in the relationship_!" came a jubilant cry from the doorway, marking the entrance of one Edward Elric. The blonde stepped through the door, tawny eyes shining with mirth as he took in his lover's miserable appearance. "Yes! This means I'm _so_ not the girl, Roy! _Finally_ people will acknowledge me as the dominant one in this relationship! After all the times you've teased me about being the bottom, the one time you let me top, the roles have switched forever! _Yes_!"

The doctor tried to crawl on hands and knees from the room, face completely red from the implications he was beginning to understand as the blond male ranted.

"Shut up, Edward!" Roy yelled back at the Fullmetal, who, surprisingly, got quiet; though the look of glee remained on his face. "And you, doc, don't think you're going anywhere."

Reluctantly, the doctor climbed to his feet and turned to face the three people across from him, though he kept his eyes trained bashfully on the floor. "Um, that explains it, I guess," he mumbled, looking between the Flame and Fullmetal before looking to the floor again. "I never thought a famous alchemist like you would be gay, but I guess…"

"Bi, actually," Roy interrupted, glaring at Ed.

"What do you mean famous _alchemist_?" Edward fumed, hands clutched into fists by his sides. "I'm a freakin' famous state alchemist, too! I deserve recognition here! _I deserve to be seen as the man in the relationship! And finally I have my chance_!" he shouted wildly, his expression totally crazed from what Roy could see.

Hawkeye and the doctor both blinked in astonishment as Roy buried his face in his hands, embarrassed by his lover's reaction to the news.

"Um, congratulations?" the doctor coughed awkwardly. "Anyways, Mr. Mustang, take a look at that pregnancy test and make an appointment with an OB. I'm sorry for the confusion. Goodluckgottagobye!" And with that last flurry of words, the doctor high-tailed it from the room, leaving three very shocked people behind.


	2. Coming to Terms

"So…" Ed trailed off once he and Roy were safely back at home. The blonde had calmed down immensely by this point; he had, at least, stopped rambling about how he was the male in the relationship and about how Roy would make an excellent 'mommy.'

Roy growled in response, still upset from Ed's jittery and embarrassing public response to the news of the pregnancy. Well, if what the doctor said was _true_ …he still had to take the Home Pregnancy Test, just to be sure. "Edward," he warned as the younger alchemist opened his mouth to speak.

The blonde snapped his mouth shut, looking at the floor. Riza had taken her leave back to Headquarters, not saying a word about the situation, thereby leaving Ed and Roy alone to talk things out. Not that Roy was in a very talkative mood now, as he was still coming to terms with the fact that he might just be pregnant. Ed wasn't helping much, either, as he was too preoccupied with babbling about being a 'daddy.' The teen was still in the "Oh my god! I'm actually going to be a dad!" mode; the time would come later, when things settled down and the news sunk in, that he would accept responsibility.

Without a word, the Flame pushed himself to wobbly feet and stumbled towards the bathroom, intent on getting the test over with. He was a soldier, dammit, and he didn't scare easily. No, especially when it was something as life-changing as having a baby…he was Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist. He could face this unexpected challenge head-on, and drag Ed along the rollercoaster ride with him.

Ed followed his lover with his eyes, still calming down slightly.

Fifteen agonizing minutes later, the bathroom door opened and Roy walked back to the bedroom and sank onto the mattress, breathing heavily. Though nothing on his face gave him away, Ed could tell just what the answer was as his lover began to shake uncontrollably.

Scooting over, the Fullmetal wrapped his arms comfortably around the other, murmuring soothing words in his ear. He gently rubbed Roy's arms, trying to ease some feeling and consolation into the other. "It's okay," he said quietly, smoothly. "We'll get through this, Roy. It's not necessarily a bad thing. Just wait…"

Roy trembled in the blonde's arms, not trusting his mouth to speak. He could face this; he _could_. And if, for some reason or another, he uncharacteristically broke down, it was perfectly normal. Pregnant wom- er, people, had tremendous mood swings all the time, thanks to the ever-flexible hormonal changes. "Glad to see you've joined reality," he said finally, hearing Ed speak in intelligible sentences.

Ed shrugged, tightening his grip on Roy.

"You know, a baby's going to change things around here," Roy remarked softly, shifting in Ed's arms. "We're going to have to take care of it instead of only focusing on ourselves. Not to mention, the military's going to take a special interest in this case. Not only is it a scientific breakthrough, but the alchemists involved are famous, useful lapdogs. The higher-ups aren't going to make this easy, you realize, Ed."

"Ever the politician," Ed rebuked mildly. "We're going to _make_ this work. You're going to be a _great_ mom, Roy."

Roy looked scandalized at the declaration. "Who said _I'm_ going to be the mom?" he cried out, panicking. "I was always the guy in the relationship!"

"Yeah, but it's obviously _my_ child, since you're the one carrying it. It obviously started out as an Elric, duh, Roy," the blonde explained teasingly.

Roy shuddered. "Speaking of Elrics and Mustangs, what last name are we going to give this child?"

Ed thought about it for a moment, bringing his automail fingers to his chin. "I suppose it could be an Elric. Doesn't the baby usually take its daddy's last name?"

Again, the Flame quaked at the idea. "We never agreed on who took the role of daddy," he ground out through clenched teeth.

"Yes, we did," Ed argued, a bit more vehemently than he intended. " _I'm_ the father!"

Roy disagreed full-heartedly. "No, Edward. I refuse to be known as 'Momma Mustang'…"

Ed burst out laughing.

"You want to insult me," Roy said quietly, a bit of hurt leaking through his voice.

The blonde hastily shook his head. "No, Roy! Okay, we can _both_ be dads and we can call the kid Whatever Mustang-Elric, got it?"

"'Whatever'?" the Colonel asked, raising an eyebrow. "Remind me to never let you name our kids. And why not Elric-Mustang?"

Ed growled, "Because, stupid, Mustang-Elric sounds better. Now stop arguing with me, bastard! And, did you just say _kids_? As in, plural?"

Roy made a noncommittal sound deep in his throat. "I was planning ahead, Edward."

"Oh." A pause. "You know, it's funny. A few weeks ago when I got back from Resembool, I told you I thought Al and Winry would bring the next Elric into the world…funny how, as far as I know, the two of us are creating another Elric life before my straight brother and sister-in-law."

The Flame snorted. "Yeah, but think about it. What kinds of kids would you expect from the two of us? At least compared to any of Al's and Winry's future children?"

Ed grinned maniacally. "Well, I'd imagine them to be the most overly self-confident, rude, determined, annoying brats of kids, but…the damned best lookers in Amestris, if I do say so myself."

Roy could only shake his head in grudging respect at Ed's observation. "And your nieces and nephews…"

"…would be meek and kind-hearted like Al, yet have a hidden anger and passion for wrenches, like their mother does," Ed went on, cackling as he predicted the future personalities of the Elric family tree.

"Sounds about right," Roy acknowledged. "Speaking of Al and Winry, how are we going to break this to them?"

Ed blinked. "Um, about that, they don't even know we're _together_ , if you catch my drift."

Roy frowned. "Drift undoubtedly caught, Ed, but how could you not tell your own _brother_ that you're with the famous Roy Mustang? Especially after so many years of us being in a relationship together? Well, that does answer the question of why I'm still alive…"

The blonde chuckled sardonically, rubbing his flesh hand in soothing circles around Roy's back. "It was easy. Because Al moved back to Resembool after we regained his body, he never got the chance to walk in on us like your subordinates did. And about the other thing, he can't lay a finger on you now, or he'll hurt our kid. And you know Al; he'd never harm a hair on an innocent's head. And even if he hates you for 'corrupting' me, he'll certainly love that baby."

Sighing in thankfulness, Roy nodded his head. "You'd better call him, Edward."

Ed left the bedside abruptly, hand itching for the phone as he dialed the familiar number of the Rockbells' house. Roy lay on the bed, ear cocked towards the phone so he could hear at least Ed's side of the conversation.

"Hello, Rockbell Automail Engineers! Steel-limb prosthetics! This is the famous mechanic, Winry Elric, formerly known as Rockbell, speaking, how may I help you tonight?" came the over-bubbly voice from the phone. Even Roy heard it from across the room in his and Ed's house.

Edward scowled at the self-praise oozing from the phone cord. "Uh, Winry?"

"EDWARD! YOU DIDN'T BREAK YOUR AUTOMAIL AGAIN, DID YOU?"

The blonde quickly held the earpiece away from his head, trying to tune out the angered screeches. "NO! My automail is _fine_! Actually, Winry, could you put Al on the phone? I need to have a serious chat with him."

Winry's voice sputtered over the phone line. "Ed! What if someone calls to make an appointment with me for my very obvious skills in automail attachments; this _is_ a business line so you really should think about when you're going to call and-"

Ed growled and Roy inched away towards the other side of the bed to protect his hearing. "Winry, it's rather an _emergency_ ," he ground out through gritted teeth.

"Oh! Well, why didn't you say so, Ed? I'll go get Al for you."

The blonde in Central sighed in exasperation, tapping his automail fingers against the top of the phone as he waited to talk to his younger brother.

"Hello, Brother?" Al's innocently shy voice resounded in Ed's ears, making the Fullmetal Alchemist smile. No longer did his younger brother's voice sound tinny from the armor; now Al was pure human, body and soul.

Edward cleared his throat, feeling his nerves fail him. His throat going dry, he spoke in a rushed tone with as few words as possible, "Al, RoyMustangispregnantwithmykid!" before slamming the receiver down.

Alphonse Elric was left with only the sound of the dial-tone to accompany his very confused and murderous thoughts.

"That went well," Roy observed, an amused smile worming its way onto his face.

Ed merely grunted before flopping onto the mattress beside his lover.

"You could have used more tact," the Flame continued, squirming over to the blonde. "But you handled it in a very Fullmetal-ish way, so I guess that's what I can expect from you."

Ed said nothing.

"You know, Alphonse and Winry are going to be here in two days as soon as the next train comes in," Roy went right on talking, only irritating his lover further.

Roy's comments were finally met with a response as a squishy pillow was smacked in his face; the blonde who was holding it playfully smothering him with fluffy feathers.

-+-

Two days later, Roy's prediction rang true. Just as Ed set the phone back in its holder after making Roy an appointment with the OB, the doorbell rang. Edging towards it, the blonde opened the front door warily, finding his younger brother and sister-in-law standing on his (and Roy's) front porch. "Hi, guys," the Fullmetal greeted weakly as Winry shoved him aside so they could enter.

"What's this I hear about you getting the Colonel _pregnant_?" Al demanded, hands on his hips, as he stared his older brother down (not that it was that hard, since even without the armor, Alphonse Elric was taller than his brother). "I mean, how is that even possible? Even if males _could_ get pregnant, you and the Colonel _hate_ each other!"

"Uh…" Ed stammered, shrugging one shoulder. "It's rather complicated, Al, but Roy and I most definitely don't hate each other. More like the opposite, if you ask me."

Al and Winry stared; Ed had just called the Colonel 'Roy.' As in, no titles, just perfect first-name-basis casualness.

Roy chose this moment to make his dramatic entrance, stumbling into the room with the cord of a toaster wrapped around him. "Dammit, Ed, how the hell does this piece of—" he paused, noticing the company. "Oh. Hi Al," he gulped. "Winry." He redirected his attention to his lover, who was barely smothering his chuckles. "Ed, I need help with this damn thing! It won't work, and I've done everything I could…I even tried setting it on fire!"

The Fullmetal rolled his eyes. "Roy, I think being a month pregnant has scrambled your brains. You need to plug the electric cord—yes, the thing that's wrapped around you—to the wall. At the end, see the little metal rods? You shove those in the holes-"

" _Brother!_ " came Al's shocked voice from behind the two.

Edward shrugged, a lopsided grin on his face. He couldn't help being crude sometimes; things just flew out his mouth.

Roy blinked, his eyes drifting to the cord. "Oh…"

"I think you forgot how to plug things in, since you've been the stationary one in the relationship for a whole month now, Mustang," Ed taunted, shocking Al and Winry even more.

"A whole _month_? Is that even _possible_?" Winry asked; everyone knew of the Colonel's reputation, after all.

Al glared at Roy before anyone could answer. "You've dragged my brother down. I always thought you were a respectable man, Colonel, but you've molested my brother and I won't let you do that anymore, you sick freak!"

Ed hurriedly clapped a hand over his younger brother's mouth. "Actually, Al, as the circumstances stand, _I'm_ the one 'molesting' the Colonel, as you put it. And he didn't force me into anything. We both have feelings for one another and…things happened, you know?" the Fullmetal implored, explaining the situation. He would normally never vocalize the depth of his and Roy's feelings, but to save his lover from the wrath of an angry brother (Al didn't usually get mad, but when he did, he was a force to be reckoned with), and not to mention get in the habit of proving just what a loving household they could provide for their child, Ed voiced the emotions shared between him and Roy.

"But, Brother," Al protested, shooting Ed a cautious glance. He just didn't want his older brother to get hurt, after all, by a man who was known left and right for breaking hearts.

Ed shook his head firmly. "No, Al, leave him be. We're going to have a baby together, so get used to the idea of the two of us being a family. Like you and Winry."

Al sighed and took a small, apologetic step back, nearer to his wife. "I'm sorry," he said, tilting his head towards Roy's stomach. "But you can't blame me for being upset." Winry offered him a smile, sidling closer to him for support and clasping his hand in hers.

Roy grinned. "No offense taken, Al. I'd be worried if you _didn't_ want to kill me, but at least until the baby's born…"

"So, how is that biologically possible, anyway?" Winry asked curiously, plopping down on the couch and pulling Al down with her. Ed grinned, seeing the two of them together.

The Flame sighed and sat down in his own seat, throwing the toaster-cord to the ground. Edward plopped down on his knee, only grinning wider in response to his brother's scandalized look. "I've been working on designing an array that would make it possible to create human life without resorting to human transmutation. I think being exposed to that experiment left me with some side-effects that caused my body to adapt in a way to support life…or, in other words, it gave me certain internal parts of a female. And if Ed and I…well, you can guess the rest."

Red-faced, Al only nodded, hiding his embarrassed face in his hands. Imagining his brother 'with' the Colonel was not helping his understanding of the situation.

"But wouldn't an array designed to create human life _be_ human transmutation?" Winry pressed on. Even if she wasn't an alchemist, she could guess the basics just from being good friends with the Elric brothers her entire life.

Roy answered, "Technically, if you think about it…I was just working on a new design for the array, hoping for a way to _create_ life from the beginning. Not revive a dead person or mess with a person's already existing bio-chemical make-up, but just a way to bring life into the world through alchemy. I was aiming to create life in something similar to childbirth. I just wasn't expecting _this_ as the result."

"That's complex. And highly stupid, too," muttered Al, his voice muffled from behind the palms of his hands.

Ed snorted, "Everything Roy does is complex and stupid, Al, haven't you figured that out yet?"

"Then why are you with him?" Al inquired, raising a (human) eyebrow.

The blonde leaned back in Roy's lap, still smiling. "I thought we went over this. I care for him. Deeply. Enough to have this kid with him, Al."

Roy's grin matched Ed's own, his arms slipping around Ed's waist to hold him in place. He made sure to shift the form on his lap so the blonde wasn't crushing his stomach, but the two managed to be comfortable while still preserving the life they had created together.

"Oh, then as long as you're sure, Ed," Al said quietly, lowering his eyes to the floor.

Ed blinked. Al almost always called him 'Brother.' "Everything will be fine, Al. You'll see. Roy and I are going to need all the support we can get, and I'd hate for my little brother to feel weird just because his older brother is having a baby with another man."

"It's not just that," the younger Elric protested. "It's that it's with _Colonel Mustang_!"

"And I wouldn't have it any other way," Ed said softly, convincing Al for the final time that this was the way things should be.

-+-

The next day at Headquarters, both Roy and Ed showed up for work. The two alchemists parted ways to do their separate duties, already missing one another after days of being alone, just the two of them. Roy groaned, sliding into the seat behind his desk, noticing paperwork stacked to the ceiling. Well, he _had_ been gone for about two weeks, so it was only practical that his work be made up.

The Colonel sighed, reaching out to take a look at the topmost sheet of paper. Before he even got through the first paragraph, the door to the office opened and Riza Hawkeye stepped in. "Sir?" she questioned, marching resolutely towards his desk.

"How may I help you, First Lieutenant?" Roy asked, eyes still glued to the top of the page he was skimming.

He snapped back to reality when he was struck by the firm hand of his subordinate. Looking up while clutching his red cheek, Roy's vision was immediately blocked thanks to the front of Riza's pistol waving threateningly in his face. "I've been thinking, Sir, since the incident at the doctor's office a few days ago. And I've given it plenty of thought, but I don't really understand how you could be so _irresponsible_. Do you know what could happen? How your life, not to mention Edward's, will change because of this baby? Edward's not even out of his teens, yet, Sir! How could you be so careless as to let this _happen_?"

"Don't hit me," Roy whined pitifully, disregarding Hawkeye's lecture. "I'm pregnant."

Riza's eyes narrowed as she pushed the gun closer to her commanding officer's face. " _What_ an excuse," she huffed. "Think about what I said, _Colonel_ ," she said, the title coming out bitterly sarcastic. "You might want to think about how you're going to explain this to Hakuro because, just a heads up, he's dropping by today to check up on you." She turned on her heel and walked to the door, calling over her shoulder as she left, "And Sir, I wouldn't let him know that you're pregnant or it may just be trouble for both you _and_ Edward." Knowing Hawkeye, she had probably announced her warning when she did for a purpose, timing it intentionally…

…and, therefore, letting the entire office in on the news.

"Holy _shit_ , that can HAPPEN?" Havoc screeched, his cigarettes dropping to the floor. Fuery glanced at him fearfully with questioning eyes, trembling a bit, and for good reason. Havoc let a reassuring smile drift lazily onto his face in hopes of comforting the other man, keeping his reaction to Mustang's unexpected pregnancy inside where it belonged.

Breda and Falman just blinked at each other and continued what they were doing, deciding they didn't want to know. "Anything's better than dogs," Breda mumbled, biting into his sandwich as Falman became immersed in his paperwork yet again.

-+-

"Edward Elric!" rang out a greeting behind the young alchemist, causing the Fullmetal to wince inwardly at the voice before composing himself and turning around, a wavering smile on his face.

"Uh, hi there, Major," he chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.

The muscled man stood behind the small blonde, in all his pink-sparkled glory. "It has been forever since we have last met, young Elric! How goes your quest?"

Ed grinned a real grin this time. "Al has been restored to his former body, Major Armstrong. He's even married to Winry now and living in Resembool, though they're both visiting in Central since they heard the latest news."

Armstrong frowned. "Marriage? Isn't he rather young?"

Ed shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly. "You forget, Major, we come from a tiny village out in the country. It's rather common for early marriages. Besides, seventeen isn't _too_ young, is it? He's known Winry since we were in diapers and has loved her almost as long."

"Ah, yes. The beautiful town of Resembool. In exchange for its barrenness, it has wide open skies, with stars twinkling…" the muscular man sighed, going off into his memories of his visit to Ed and Al's hometown. "And the wonders of a love that can last even under the weight of all the difficulties Alphonse has endured! It is truly an inspiration!"

Ed began to inch away from the Pink-Sparkly man.

Armstrong snapped to attention, pinning the Elric with an unrelenting gaze. "What is the latest news, young Edward? Are we at war?"

"No…" Ed said slowly, drawing out the syllable. "It's just that Roy's…um, how do I put this? Pregnantwithmychild," he finished in a rushed voice before turning and scampering off, leaving a trail of smoke behind him. The idea of making something up never occurred to the young prodigy as he zipped away, putting miles of distance between him and the Strong-Arm Alchemist.

Armstrong blinked once, slowly, before ripping off his military shirt and flexing his muscles. "The child is off in the head, but with my fantastic muscles, I could twist his mental state back to health, nice and easy! It is a talent passed down through the Armstrong line for generations!"

Thankfully for Ed's psychological sanctity, the Fullmetal Alchemist was already far away by this point.

-+-

EXTRA

-+-

Maes Hughes danced about, holding pictures of his beloved Elysia and Gracia in his hands. His angel-wings jiggled as he jumped about, but he still laughed without a care in the world, his glasses sliding down his nose from laughing too hard. "Ah, I've always told Roy about the wonders of children! He'll thank me someday! I just never thought it would be Ed Elric, but how can I complain? The two are great together, and their child will be…nothing as perfect as Daddy's Little Angel!" he ended with another chuckle, dropping kisses on the pictures of his family.

If Roy could have seen him, the Flame would be strangling him.


	3. Military Intervention

As the day progressed, Roy began to feel more relaxed, slightly doubting Hawkeye's warning. If his superiors were going to investigate his drawn-out 'illness,' then shouldn't they have already started? Wouldn't he have been hauled off for questioning by this point?

Just as he was dozing off in his seat, his office door opened and General Hakuro strode in. Roy mentally groaned, shaking his head to wake himself up. "Good afternoon, General," he said, standing and saluting with the proper respect shown towards a superior officer.

"At ease, Mustang," Hakuro muttered, not exactly kindly. "Where have you been these past two weeks? Neglecting your duties?"

Roy shook his head. "I was ill, Sir. I even went to the doctor. But I'm feeling slightly better now, so no worries."

The General held out his hand. The Colonel stared at it, not comprehending what was going on.

"Your doctor's excuse," Hakuro ordered, helping Mustang's mind begin to think. "I need to see the official paperwork stating your health status."

Again, Roy's mind began to flounder. "Um, Sir, no disrespect meant, but I believe the results are confidential."

The General sneered, "And I'm your commanding officer, Mustang. I can make it an order. I want to see that paperwork on my desk by tomorrow afternoon, two o' clock, or else I'll arrest the Elric brothers for unauthorized human transmutation."

That threat woke Mustang up better than any amount of coffee. "The Elric brothers?" he asked harshly, straightening his back as his senses became more alert.

Hakuro nodded deeply, turning to walk from the office. "It's your call, Mustang."

Roy was left quite alone, slumping on his desk and brooding over his dilemma.

-+-

"So the bastard says he'll arrest us, who cares?" Ed asked around a mouthful of food at dinner that night. "Keeping your secret is top priority."

" _Our_ secret," Roy corrected warmly, shooting Ed a promising smile, one that would have been totally out-of-place had it not been Ed the smile was directed at.

Al sighed and moved to stand by his brother. "If Brother thinks this is the best course to take, I'm willing to help in any way I can – even be arrested." Winry shot up from her seat at the dinner table, but Al's hand stopped her in her tracks. "Don't. I've made my decision. And I'm not going to let the military split apart my brother and…I just can't, Winry. Please understand." Winry only nodded, sitting down again in her seat.

"I don't want to cause you any trouble," Roy protested, "though the politician in me says it would be for the best," he continued offhandedly.

Ed whispered dramatically, "It's the confusion of being a month pregnant that's making him unsure of himself." Al and Winry giggled; Roy shot Ed an annoyed look.

-+-

Even knowing both Elrics agreed to be arrested if the worst scenario came into play, Roy couldn't sleep that night. He shifted about in bed, trying to get comfortable. His constant jerking awoke the blonde next to him, causing said blonde to smash his face with a pillow.

"Stay still," he ordered sluggishly, the sleep still clouding his mind.

The Flame lay still for a moment, waiting for Ed to fall back asleep. In a matter of seconds, he was, once more, the only conscious being in the room. "I can't do this to them," he mumbled. "I've already made them risk so much. And I promised to protect them, especially Edward. How can I let them get arrested because of me?" Roy mused, turning on his side. Normally he was dead-tired nowadays, but the urgency of his situation kept him awake and alert.

Sighing, he closed his eyes and let his mind wander. He had two choices. 1) Stay silent and get Ed and Al arrested. 2) Turn over his medical files to Hakuro. Out of the two options, he didn't know which would bring about the worst consequences. Ed and Al might be treated unfairly if they were arrested, but saving the Elrics meant putting his baby - his and _Ed's_ – at risk. If the military ever found out, they would make a lab rat out of both him and Fullmetal. And he couldn't even begin to think what they'd do to the baby…

Why was he oddly sentimental now? Of the two, Roy was more open to being mushy at times, thanks to his years of experience wooing girls into his bedroom. But even so, he wasn't as overly emotional as he felt now. Concluding that it must be the hormones messing with his mind, he once more tried to come up with an alternate plan.

And as if a sheet had been lifted from his mind, a light bulb lit above Roy's head to shine ideas into his frantically working strategic thoughts. The Colonel jolted upwards, almost gasping, obsidian eyes wide and wild. "Of course," he breathed. "I'm thinking from Hakuro's perspective. I hadn't even thought to sidestep the options available to me and come up with a plan to outwit him. And luckily, I know how to maneuver politics."

Smiling to himself, the Flame Alchemist settled down and scooted closer to Ed's warmth, initiating a snuggling session while the second participant wasn't even aware of the goings-on. And this time, when he tried, Roy was able to fall into a well-earned sleep.

-+-

"Sciezska," stated Roy matter-of-factly at breakfast the next morning.

Al, Winry, and Ed stared at him in confusion. Ed, golden eyes glued to Roy's face, knocked over the bottle of syrup onto Winry's lap as he blindly reached across the table. Just because he was preoccupied with Roy didn't mean he couldn't try to butter his toast at the same time.

"Dammit, Ed!" Winry screeched, reaching for a wrench that wasn't there. "If we hadn't packed in a hurry, I'd have my beloved wrench in my hand to knock you unconscious to the ground! Not that you'd fall far, _shorty_!"

The height-sensitive blonde sat straighter in his seat, switching his attention from lover to sister-in-law. "What the hell, Winry?" he yelled back. "We have more important things to worry about than spilled food on your clothes! It was a friggin' accident!"

The mechanic bristled, shooting Ed a death glare. "Ooo…you just wait." Her glare quickly flashed to a sickeningly sweet smile as she – purposefully – knocked Al's glass of milk onto the elder Elric.

Edward froze for a moment, pupils following tiny drops of white liquid sliding down into the folds of his coat. "EEEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWWWW!" he bawled, jumping to his feet and shaking, trying to swipe the disgusting liquid off him. "IT'S DISGUSTING AND PUTRID! GET THIS VILE ABOMINATION OFF OF ME! ROOOYYYY!"

"Now, what was that you were saying about there being more important things than spilled food?" Winry asked, the sugary tone accomplishing nothing save more of Ed's wrath.

Edward swelled with rage. "One, the syrup was an accident. Two, this is spilled _drink_. Three, this disgusting substance on me is _MILK_!" No more needed to be explained.

Roy Mustang only turned his head away from the sight, pretending not to be associated with the over-reacting blonde. "I thought _I_ was the one who was supposed to be overly emotional," he muttered. Before he could continue that line of thought, all 165 centimeters of Edward Elric slammed into him, knocking him to the floor. "Ed!" he gasped, quickly pushing the blonde off him and checking his stomach.

Noticing this, the blonde shook with a sudden attack of conscience. "I'm sorry, Roy," he mumbled softly. "I forgot. I didn't mean to hurt you or the baby. I just got carried away. You're right; spilled milk isn't worth this much fuss."

The Flame's expression softened as he pulled Ed over to him, still sitting on the kitchen floor. "I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean to push you away. It was instinct to throw extra weight off my stomach. And I know you're only eighteen-"

"Almost nineteen," Ed interrupted.

"- almost nineteen," Roy acknowledged, squeezing the blonde's shoulders. "I know it's not fair to put such responsibility on you. It's hard being a teenage parent. I'm only glad I'm the one carrying the child; I'd hate to put you through any extra pain or trouble."

Edward, deeply touched by the other's words, grasped Roy's hand in his and gripped tightly. Still covered in milk, he disregarded that fact and focused on what was important. "What were you saying about that miraculous librarian?" he prompted.

Alphonse and Winry, forgotten for the moment, listened intently from their places at the table.

Roy chuckled. "She could very well be miraculous, Ed. She could possibly print some fake medical records for me to hand to Hakuro. That way you and Al won't be arrested and the military will be off our backs for awhile. We just need her to get it done today by one-thirty. I don't know if I can get Hakuro to postpone that deadline."

The blonde thought carefully. "Maybe if Hawkeye helped, the two of them could come up with some decent looking legal papers for you to hand over."

The Colonel winced at the mention of his friend and subordinate. "Er, I think she's rather mad at me." Seeing Ed's bewildered face, he elaborated, "Because she said I was careless and irresponsible for letting this happen. Then she slapped me and threatened me with her gun, spread the word of my pregnancy to the entire office, and warned me of Hakuro's visit at the last second." Technically, it wasn't at the last second since he had waited so long for the General to show at his office, but Roy figured he was allowed to exaggerate. He was pregnant; he felt he deserved to get away with such things.

With a sharp intake of breath at hearing about the slap, Ed relaxed slightly. "I can see her point," he mused. "But I was just as responsible, or irresponsible as the case may be, as you were. In fact, more so. That's _my_ baby in your stomach."

Roy shrugged. "I'd rather not have you get on her bad side."

"What if I asked her as a personal favor?" Ed suggested, climbing to his feet and pulling his lover to stand opposite him.

"You'd do that for me?" Mustang asked, eyes watering with another overload of emotions, mainly gratitude and hopefulness this time around.

The blonde hesitated, noticing the hormones affecting his lover again. _Better get used to it_ , he reminded himself. _It's gonna be a helluva lot worse when the baby's almost due. The agony is just beginning…_ "Uh, sure," he finally replied, off-handedly. "I'd better get to that, then. It could take me awhile to persuade her to help us. If she won't do it for you, she'll do it for the baby. I'm sure of it." Flashing an encouraging grin, the Fullmetal waved to his brother and Winry before shooting out the door.

Roy stared after him, eyes glazed and misty for no apparent reason.

"You know," Winry said, breaking the silence. "Ed doesn't have to do all that work. If you'd just get off your damn ass and _apologize_ like someone decent, maybe you'd have a fair chance of convincing her yourself. Not to mention patching up your friendship, but then again, you've always been ignorant of the important things, haven't you?" Winry ranted, accusingly, as she pointed a condemning finger at the figure once again huddled on the kitchen floor.

Al gaped. "Winry," he murmured soothingly. "Please calm down."

Roy blinked himself out of his stupor, sighing as the younger Elric led the automail mechanic from the room. She was right, of course, but he didn't need to be reminded of that at the moment. He needed to find Sciezska!

Barely bothering to inform the others of the rest of his plan, he sped from the house towards Headquarters. Well, as fast as he could manage, being so tired and…nauseated. Feeling the increasing urge to vomit, the Colonel stopped his quick pace and leaned against a wall, panting heavily. A few more seconds and the remnants of his recently-eaten toast decorated someone's hedges.

"'Allo, Mustang!" called a neighbor, coming over to see why Roy looked so green. Seeing the pile of sick, the neighbor shook his head in disbelief. "You shouldn't be out running if you're feelin' so sick, Mustang. What's wrong with you?"

Roy was very tempted to proclaim to the world, "I'm pregnant, OKAY?" But at the last moment he remembered that no, it was not okay for society to know his and Ed's little secret. "Work," he spit out, wiping his mouth. "There's something important I need to do. _Now_." Stressing the importance on the last word, Roy regained his bearings and continued on his merry way.

"Mustang! _My hedges_!" screamed the distraught neighbor. But Roy either ignored him or didn't hear, probably the former, and grinned in total delight in an abrupt mood-swing. "That was worth it," he chuckled. "Though I wish I could see his face when I tell him I'm carrying another guy's child." Laughing at the possible reactions of people he knew, who didn't yet know about the future Mustang-Elric child, he amused himself until he arrived at Headquarters.

-+-

"You _have_ to help us," Ed near-pleaded with Hawkeye, a note of desperation in his voice. "You're one of the few who know about our situation. We need your help. I know you're mad at me an' Mustang, but think what would _happen_ if the military finds out about Roy being…you know…"

Riza didn't flinch, only stood and stared the blonde down. Down, literally. "If the Colonel is found out, then it's what he deserves for being so irresponsible."

Edward refrained from glaring. He wasn't exactly innocent in the situation, either. Why was Riza on speaking terms with him and not Roy?

"He's an adult," the blond Lieutenant explained calmly, as if reading Ed's mind. "He should know better."

The alchemist spazzed. "Adult? ADULT? WHO'RE YOU CALLING SO TINY OF A SPECK OF DUST THAT'S BEEN SPLIT INTO TWO SMALLER DUST PARTICLES THAT NOBODY CAN SEE HE'S GROWN INTO AN ADULT AND IS STILL VIEWED AS A CHILD?"

The gun-toting woman narrowed her eyes at him. "Edward," she said sternly. "Those childish tantrums only convince me further of how immature you are. You are going to be a daddy. You need to _shape up_!" Breathing heavily from the outburst, Hawkeye deliberately turned her back and started sifting through her paperwork again.

Ed gaped. "But," he protested, still a bit dumbfounded from the accusation. "What about…our baby? Even if you're disgusted with Roy an' me, think of the innocent life that's going to suffer if the State finds out about its conception."

The pen in Riza's hand paused, the fingers clutching the pen wobbling and shaking. "Edward," she whispered. "Please don't drag me into this. I'm willing to do whatever I can to push Mustang to the top, but the two of you got yourselves into _this_ particular mess on your own."

"I thought he was your friend," the younger said after a moment of hesitation, glaring. "Even if he and I did make a mistake, I'd have hoped you'd understand and support us. But I guess not." The Fullmetal, imitating Riza's earlier dismissal signal, turned on his heel and stomped from the room. The remaining occupant sat at her desk, signing paperwork but thinking intensely over the alchemist's parting words.

-+-

Slumping against the wall outside Mustang's unit's offices, Ed sighed and looked about for any sign of military life. None in the hallways that he could see. Even if some soldiers were about, there was nothing unusual about the famous Fullmetal Alchemist heading to Central Library's First Branch. Nope, none at all.

When he arrived, the blonde didn't see any sign of Roy. Shrugging, he ascended the steps, in search of the bookworm. Sciezska. The one who had been Hughes's assistant. The one who had been rehired to work at the Central Library after Hughes's death. If Roy hadn't yet asked for her help, Ed would simply save him the trouble.

Finding the woman was fairly easy, considering she was enclosed in stacks of books surrounding her, much like at her house when the two first met. Edward cleared his throat, feeling oddly intrusive as he waited for her to lift her head. "Um, Sciezska?" he asked, maybe a bit too loudly for a library.

The greeting dragged the librarian from her world of books. "Oh! Ed!" she exclaimed, scrambling to her feet. By the look on her face, she was very happy to see the young alchemist. He was one of the ones who put up with her book ramblings, so she valued the friends that stuck with her. "Anything I can help you with?" she asked brightly.

Edward opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. How _should_ he phrase his question? Based on Armstrong's reaction, it didn't seem safe to just blurt out that Roy was pregnant. With _his_ kid. "Um," he swallowed, looking to the bookshelves behind the woman. "I need help…" he started to say, "finding pregnancy books," he finished, the words spilling forth from his mouth before he even registered they were in his brain.

Sciezska frowned. "Pregnancy books, Ed?" she asked, her voice strained. "Surely you couldn't have gotten some young girl knocked up," she said, ignoring Ed's blush at the term. "Before long you might get to be as bad as Colonel Mustang about the number of girls you let share your bed! You know it's not a good idea to do that, right?"

The blonde glared. Didn't the woman _know_ about his and Roy's relationship? Apparently not. "You know," he spit out through clenched teeth, "Roy Mustang has stuck by one person for over three years now. And so have I."

The bookworm blinked. "Oh, really?" she asked, scratching her head as if such a thought was alien to her. "I never thought he could do that." Evidently, she hadn't been too close to her two alchemist friends during the past few years. It was true that her books sucked her in and made her a recluse to most of the public. Sighing, she shook herself from her thoughts, getting back to the task at hand. "So, pregnancy books?" she asked, peering at him slyly.

Nodding and blushing, the alchemist agreed before remembering his true purpose for going to the First Branch. "Actually, I was wondering if you could make some fake paperwork for me. With all the books you've read, you must have some ideas. I tried to get Lieutenant Hawkeye to help, too, but she refused."

"Why do you need fake paperwork?" Sciezska asked, trying to dig for information. "Don't tell me you need fake medical records for this girl you got pregnant."

Edward gaped again. Were all women so _perceptive_? Well, except for one tiny factor. Roy Mustang was most definitely not a girl; he should know. But the blonde found himself nodding anyway; it was best to let the secret stay hidden for as long as possible.

Leading a trail through scattered books, Sciezska led the alchemist to a back room in the library. "Alright, I'll see what I can do," she agreed to the request, shrugging. "Now I need you to tell me the name of the person so I can get some of the basic information right to make it look legitimate."

There was a long silence as Ed debated with himself whether or not to answer: 'Roy Mustang.'

-+-

Swaggering through the door in typical smug-Roy-mode, the Colonel found himself passing a fuming Riza at her desk. "Hawkeye?" he asked, a bit uncertainly. Though he had intended to find Sciezska at the library and beg, if need be, for her help, he found that his feet had carried him directly to HQ. And maybe it was better that he straighten things out with Riza Hawkeye before their relationship took a turn for the worse.

The blond woman lifted her head, her eyes narrowing to slits when she focused on the man speaking to her. "Colonel," she said icily.

Fumbling for words, the raven-haired man sighed and had the nerve to ask, "So, you're still mad at me?"

Riza threw her spare gun at his head.

Roy cried out and clutched his head, feeling a bruise form on his face. Even whilst not shooting, that woman had deadly aim. "What the hell, Hawkeye?" he screeched.

"Forgive me for saying so, Sir, but you deserved it."

The Colonel backed away and cleared his throat, one hand still holding his hurt face. "So, uh, did Ed come by yet?"

The Lieutenant slammed her hands on her desk, jumping to her feet. " _Yes_ ," she answered angrily. "And no, I will _not_ help you make fake medical records for Hakuro!"

Roy winced. "So he left?"

"Glad he did," Riza snapped uncharacteristically. "I don't need him begging for my help with a mess that only concerns the two of you!"

Nodding, the Flame Alchemist bit his lip to keep quiet. She was right in that she wasn't obligated to always bail him out of his messes, but he had come to rely on her throughout the years of their friendship. To be let down now, when he desperately needed her help, was a blow he was finding hard to cope with. Then he remembered Winry's words from that morning, _If you'd just get off your damn ass and apologize like someone decent, maybe you'd have a fair chance of convincing her yourself. Not to mention patching up your friendship._ Gulping, Roy took a steady step towards the Lieutenant. "Actually, Riza."

Hearing her first name caused the blonde to glance up and stare at her superior unwavering in the eye. She tensed, but didn't show any signs of attacking him.

Encouraged by the reaction, Roy continued in an uncommonly meek voice, "I'm sorry." He didn't elaborate on what he was sorry for; she understood. She always did.

Riza nodded once before allowing her lips to tug upwards in a tiny smile. "Apology accepted, Colonel. Now, how can I help you and Ed?"

-+-

The young alchemist sighed, fidgeting where he stood. He knew he'd have to let Sciezska in on the secret. If he expected her full support, he'd have to, in turn, supply her with the entire truth. Equivalent Exchange. He swallowed thickly before whispering, "Roy Mustang," into the suddenly still room.

The librarian nodded and started to arrange some paperwork, stopping only when Ed's words registered in her mind. "Roy…Mustang? _Colonel_ Roy Mustang?" she asked, bewildered.

Edward almost slapped a hand to his face in extreme mortification. "Um, yes," he said quickly. "That's the one. Don't ask how it's possible. There was some sex, some alchemy involved, and BOOM! Roy's knocked up with my kid."

Sciezska blushed a deep shade of red, leaning down over the paperwork so her hair could cover her burning cheeks. "Um…" she responded, not knowing exactly what to say. Ed's awkwardness had shifted over to her, rendering her near-speechless.

The blonde only leaned against a wall, watching her progress. "For the fake medical records," he piped up after a time of silence in which both had used to compose themselves, "try to put that he was out sick with something that would explain his week missed of work and unexplainable tiredness. Something believable."

The brown-haired woman only scratched her pen faster across the paper, finally handing to Ed some official looking papers. "Mononucleosis, okay? It's a disease that makes the sick person _extremely_ tired, and it lasts for months at a time. At least two, if not more. And what's more, it's known as the 'Kissing Disease,' since it is most commonly spread through mouth-to-mouth. That should work well with Colonel Mustang's reputation, no offense meant to the two of you," she said briskly before a sheepish tone overtook her voice towards the end.

Thankful, Ed only dipped his head. "Whatever works as our cover, Sciezska. We owe you big time for this. And, uh, you know to keep it secret, right?" He knew she did, but he had to make sure. Roy's pregnancy had thrown every fact he believed in into the balance, thus making him paranoid for a while as he grew used to the idea.

The bookworm looked at him blankly in disbelief. Ed took that as a sign he had insulted her, hastily making his exit with a, "Thanks, Sciezska!" thrown over his shoulder as he ran.

-+-

Roy coughed at the unexpected turn of events. Just because he'd apologized, Riza was acting as helpful as she ever was. "Um, well, I'm sure Ed explained to you the need for fake medical records. You said so yourself."

Riza opened her mouth to protest before stopping to think, Ed's words ringing in her mind. _Even if he and I did make a mistake, I'd have hoped you'd understand and support us. But I guess not._ She sighed in acceptance of the situation. "I'll do the finishing touches on the paperwork and run them off to make them look legitimate. I hope you can forge your doctor's signature."

Surprised, the Colonel could only nod, dumbfounded. "Thank you, Riza," he said, expressing his gratitude a mere moment before the door banged open and a blond streak dashed into the room for the second time that day. "Edward!" he exclaimed, noticing a bundle of papers in the younger alchemist's arms.

"Sciezska did the medical records for us, Roy!" Ed explained excitedly, holding up the fake paperwork as proof.

"I never thought I'd be happy to see paperwork," Roy mumbled, glancing at Hawkeye.

The blond-haired woman gently took the papers from the teen. "I'll just make some finishing touches," she explained, the calm smile on her face matching her tone. "Mustang apologized, and you were right, Edward. I can't turn my back on you when you need me."

Edward gawked at her again.

"Mono? That fits. It sounds plausible, anyways. That bookworm came up with something good we can build on. I think Hakuro will be easily fooled; it's not like it's a stretch of the imagination to believe that Roy contracted a sickness from being with too many women." Ignoring Ed's scowl, she stalked off with the papers.

Roy's face hardened. "Did you let Sciezska type up that I grew sick from an STD, Ed?"

The blonde's face contorted before he broke out into loud laughter. "Of course not, Roy! Mono. It's just known as the 'kissing disease,' that's all. And besides, you can catch it from other things besides kissing. It would just be the perfect cover for our situation. It'll explain why you miss work in the future, too, if you need to."

The Colonel paled, sinking into Hawkeye's vacant chair. "Edward," he said softly, calling the blonde to him. "This will only work for a few more months. I'll start to show, and then everybody will find out I'm pregnant."

"Duh," the blonde scoffed. "This is only to keep the military off our backs until we think of something better. We'll come up with a new plan when the need arises, but this should keep us safe. At least during you first trimester."

Mustang bobbed his head, only reacting once Hawkeye returned with the paperwork. Ed watched on silently, wondering what his lover was thinking. But he knew it would do no good to bother Roy when he was deep in thought, so he didn't pester. He nodded a smile of thanks to Riza as he led Roy by the elbow to Hakuro's office.

-+-

"Mononucleosis?" the General asked skeptically of the Colonel standing before his desk.

The Flame Alchemist nodded once, keeping his face expressionless so as to not give anything away.

"Why wouldn't you tell me this yesterday?" the older man demanded. "If there was nothing you wanted hidden from me, why didn't you _answer_ instead of making things more difficult? What's so _confidential_ about Mono?"

Mustang hurriedly searched his thoughts, his dark eyes swerving to the clock to notice that it was one thirty. They had made good time with the fake medical documents, finishing with less than a half-hour to spare. Stashing his triumph away for later, he knew he had to come up with an answer that wouldn't land him in yet more trouble. "My reputation," he suddenly spit out, the words flying from his mouth.

General Hakuro raised an eyebrow. "I see. Yes, I suppose your reputation always has been important to you, hasn't it, Mustang? Don't do anything else to make me suspicious of your loyalties. I'll be watching. Dismissed," he threatened flippantly, swirling his chair around as an obvious signal of dismissal.

Before he could help it, Roy sighed in relief, hurrying from the room before his superior could call him back into the office. "That went well," he remarked, feeling more like his old self now that he was off the hook. For the time being, anyway.

-+-

Ed met him in an adjoining hallway, slipping his arms about Roy's waist to steady the older man once the coast was clear. "So…" he trailed off, biting his lip nervously.

"It worked. Thanks to you. And Sciezska and Hawkeye. We're free for a couple more months. Good work, Fullmetal," Roy praised, returning the embrace. "Now we just need to be careful we don't slip up again and everything should be fine for awhile."

The blonde nodded, tugging his lover into the privacy of his Colonel's offices. "And as it is, we have about eight months to go until we're parents. That's something to prepare for."

Agreeing, Roy dropped his head to find Ed's lips, conveying his personal gratitude and relief as the minutes passed by. "If nothing else goes wrong," he muttered as they came up for air, eyes dark with both worry and lust.

Edward playfully smacked him on the shoulder. "Don't think like that! And your appointment with the obstetrician is in a couple weeks, so then we'll know what to do to take care of the baby. And I asked Sciezska to drop off some baby books for us."

The Colonel raised an eyebrow. "Do we know if we can trust this OB not to let the secret out?"

The Fullmetal shrugged, grinning wickedly. "Oh, do you think _anybody_ would want to incur the wrath of the Fullmetal or Flame Alchemists?"

"Point taken," the Flame agreed, leaning down once more for another session of kisses.


	4. New Developments

The few weeks until Roy's scheduled appointment passed by rather slowly. He didn't miss any more work, mainly because Hawkeye took pity on him and let him take it easy in the office. His presence at work allowed Hakuro no room for needless investigation, so Roy really had the best situation all around.

The Colonel dozed lightly at his desk, unfinished paperwork littering his desk. The slave-driver Lieutenant, who was actually being uncharacteristically lenient as of late, still dropped stacks of documents on his workspace. But as everyone in the office knew, it was just for normalcy's sake. Nobody expected Roy to complete his paperwork, including the woman who gave him the papers in the first place. Not that his pregnancy guaranteed him constant rights to shirk his duties, but the entire office could understand the Colonel's anticipation of the upcoming visit with the obstetrician.

The Colonel's office door was pushed open to reveal his underlings, including Havoc, Breda, Fuery, and Falman. The sound of the door opening was enough to rouse the sleeping Mustang; Roy's eyes watered as he noticed how Havoc carried with him a steaming cup of coffee. The other three men carried bags of lunch and magazines for his entertainment. God, he loved his subordinates.

"So, uh…how, uh, h-h-how ya feelin', Chief?" Havoc asked, stuttering and rubbing his head. Out of the entire office, Havoc and Fuery were finding the news of Roy's pregnancy the most difficult to cope with.

Roy sighed good-naturedly, offering the couple a tired smile. "You can relax. You haven't dabbled in bio-alchemy, so there's no need to worry. Are those sandwiches you've brought me?"

Breda nodded, tossing a sub from a nearby deli into the Colonel's outstretched hands. "You're welcome, Colonel. After all, how could we turn our backs on you during your time of difficulties?"

"You've always been our noble leader! It wouldn't be right to abandon you now, even if the happenings are a bit creepy," chimed in Falman.

"Aren't you scared?" Fuery blurted out, eyes watering. He clutched his fists to his chest, over his heart, as he craned his neck towards his superior.

The Colonel blinked at the sudden, though not uncommon, show of emotion from his second-shortest subordinate. "Uh…" Truthfully, yes, the great untouchable Mustang was actually a bit frightened of the changes his body was undergoing. It went against every law of science he had believed in; his argument of 'logic' he had used when explaining the stupidity of the phantom warehouse was of no use now. Of course alchemy experimentation could be blamed, and it was, but the fact was still hard to grasp. He, a male, was pregnant. The seemingly impossible had happened. What was there to be afraid of, indeed?

"…I'm _never_ scared," Roy answered finally. "I'm an alchemist, remember?" Though his defense didn't actually prove anything, Fuery was satisfied and impressed with Roy's courage.

"So, you're not nervous about seeing your new doctor in a couple weeks, Chief?"

Pausing, Roy flinched. If he said he was frightened, it would contradict the image he had set up of himself being invulnerable; he would lose Fuery's admiration and respect. On the other hand, his fear was the only reason Riza was understanding about his uncompleted paperwork. It was a hard choice, but in the end, the dread of paperwork overruled everything else. "I'm…a _bit_ anxious about meeting the obstetrician," he answered, emphasizing the 'bit' to show how 'little' he was afraid.

"Well, naturally, Sir," Riza calmly interrupted the men's conversation as she entered Roy's private office. "It's normal to feel nervous about things like that. Just relax and try not to give anything away to the wrong people."

The Colonel nodded. "And…?"

"What, Sir?" Lieutenant Hawkeye asked, eyebrow raised. "Did you need anything else brought to you on a golden platter?"

Roy shook his head, holding back a slight growl at the sarcasm. "No, Hawkeye. You're here for a reason, what is it? You're not holding any paperwork."

The blond woman sighed and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Edward was on the phone for you. I just thought you'd be interested to know that he wants to spend his lunch hour with you at the café down the street; I told him you'd meet him there shortly."

The highest-ranking officer nodded, mouth stretched in a thin line as he squinted at the sandwiches his men had brought him. "Then what the hell is this?" he barked, throwing two slices of bread at his subordinates; namely Havoc and Breda.

"We didn't know, Chief! We thought you'd be hungry!" Havoc protested, wind-milling his arms.

Roy snorted.

Riza sighed.

-+-

"It seems like the Fullmetal boy and his military boyfriend have decided to show their faces once more," spoke a low, feminine voice.

A derisive grunt sounded in response. "Yes, the two were cuddled up inside that house of theirs for two entire weeks. The little bastard's planning something; I want part of it."

"And how do you plan on going about _that_?" questioned the first voice.

Her companion let out a wicked chuckle. "I have my ways. We've been keeping track of the boy in silence for years, even while investigating our other projects. Finding out a bit of hidden information shouldn't be too hard, and I can bet it's well worth it."

"And if things go wrong…?"

A third voice cackled in the background, followed by the crunching of teeth and drops of acidic drool splattering the floor.

-+-

"Mustang!" Ed called out, standing on his seat so Roy could spot him. Not that he'd ever admit that it was the reason why; he simply stood on his seat in excitement. Yes, that was it. Excitement.

Roy chortled to himself as he wound his way through the restaurant. "I'm glad you stood up, Ed. Otherwise I wouldn't have noticed you amidst the crowd and I wouldn't have seen our table."

The blonde glared; the café was relatively empty.

"I meant there's a lot of silverware," Roy explained, face deadpan.

He waited two point five seconds for the explosion. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING A TINY SMUDGE ON THE HANDLE OF A SPOON THAT WOULDN'T BE RECOGNIZED BECAUSE OF THE INTRICATE CARVINGS ON THE UTENSIL THAT WOULD HIDE ME BECAUSE I'M SO SMALL THAT I'D FIT RIGHT INTO THE ETCHES OF THE DECORATIONS?"

Roy's chuckling escalated into full-out laughter at Ed's outburst. Even after three years, Ed was still sensitive about his height. He hadn't really grown much, either; maybe a couple inches.

Quieting down, Ed's glare intensified. "Sure, laugh all you want, Mustang."

The Colonel didn't even bother trying to calm down.

"I didn't mean that literally."

Shrugging one shoulder, Roy at last made an effort to silence himself and regain his composure; still, his smirk remained. "Ah, but how can I help myself?" His remark earned him a playful smack in the shoulder, which he considered fair payment for all the insults he rained down upon his lover's blond head. A small smile turned a corner of his lip upwards, but Ed could see the mirth clearly reflected through his eyes.

Edward took a deep breath; Roy honestly contemplated ducking under the table in anticipation of another rant. The blonde snapped his mouth shut, the thin line of his lips doing nothing to reassure the older man sitting across from him. There was a moment of silence in which they stared each other down; Roy looking wary and amused, Ed looking angry, sad, confused, and helpless. Finally, the stillness was shattered when Ed again sucked in a lot of air, pausing to keep golden eyes trained fully on obsidian, mouth still open before he whispered, "I'm leaving."

The Flame frowned, shaking his head. Surely he had heard wrong. Ed? Leaving? The mere idea was incredulous. "You're…what?" he croaked, still in disbelief. The pregnancy must have screwed with the rest of his body, because of course his ears had to be malfunctioning.

The blonde nodded. "Yeah. That's why I wanted to meet you here. I don't trust Headquarters. And besides, I really _hate_ the goddamn military!" Ed exclaimed vigorously, eyes flashing.

Roy would have preferred another Ed-rant.

"I got my orders today from Hakuro, the sonuvabitch. I swear, he deliberately gave me my mission details on such short-notice just to get to us." Edward seethed, hands shaking slightly on the table. Roy wondered as to what the cause: anger, fear, sadness, a combination?

"What mission exactly?" the older inquired gently. He was mentally reminding himself to be calm, but it was proving rather hard. Especially with his new hormones that came with the whole pregnancy package.

The Fullmetal tilted his head slightly towards the window. "You know those minor uprisings against the military that have been happening since forever?" At Roy's nod, he continued. "Apparently, a large group of radicals is forming; many cities with a grudge against the military are making alliances with one another. This sudden organization suggests that they are all united under one leader, and are serious about attacking Central; also, the bitch of a General hinted that the rebels might be getting supplies snuck across the Drachman border and secretly shipped all the way out East. The situation can't be ignored any longer, so they're sending me in. I'm supposed to use my popularity to manipulate them into backing down."

Roy snorted, putting up a brave a front as he could. He was supposed to be untouchable, especially in public. "So, _my_ direct superior officer bypassed me and went straight to you with this special mission? It doesn't exactly make sense, Ed."

"Sure it does, bastard. Hakuro knows he can't investigate you since you've been showing up for work; he doesn't have any evidence against you. So he's trying to indirectly sniff out your secret by using _me_ to get to _you_. He at least knows that our relationship is more than officer and subordinate, though I doubt he knows the full extent. At any rate, he knows I'm your weakness. This entire mission is a ploy to separate us; when I'm gone, Hakuro will be breathing down your neck."

The Colonel flinched, then offered a watery smile. "No thanks. I'd rather only you breathe on my neck, thank you very much." Even though it was a sad attempt to lighten the mood, Ed let out a weak chuckle. There was another stretch of silence before Roy asked quietly, "When do you leave?"

The other lowered his head, not able to look his boyfriend in the eye as he answered. "In two days. I'm headed to Liore, go figure. That city has a reputation for rebel factions, it seems."

"And -"

Anticipating Roy's next question, the blonde held up a gloved hand, palm out to indicate he wasn't finished yet. "Before you ask, I'm not sure how long. The mission statement says to stay 'until the job is completely done, no time limits.' The General did say I'd for sure be gone for at least a month. I bet you anything he has lackeys in Liore, hired to cause me trouble."

Roy nodded, face grim. He didn't want to think about this. He was only now getting used to the shock of being pregnant; he didn't want to deal with anything else. Especially not this. "Well, at least it's only a month," he said, trying to sound casual.

"We don't know that for sure, Mustang," Ed corrected. "I'll try my hardest. Even if the mission is a ploy, there _are_ skirmishes out East, and I _am_ needed. I'm the one the Common Man will most likely listen to out of all the military figureheads."

Roy was silent, moving his right hand to rest idly on his stomach.

Golden eyes darkened to amber as they noticed the action. "I don't want to leave any more than you want me to, Roy. I don't want to miss out on your pregnancy and the preparations for our child. I want to be here with you," he said earnestly, leaning across the table. "…but I can't."

Mustang understood. He was also on the military's leash, after all. "I know," he said simply. "I won't say everything will be fine, because it won't be. And I won't say that it doesn't bother me that you're leaving, because it does. I won't say it will be easy, because things rarely are. And I won't say I won't miss you, because I will. But I will tell you I understand, because I've been there."

Ed stared awkwardly at him for a long moment. "Geez, Mustang. Spewing poetry in a public restaurant where all the silverware can hear you. What _has_ become of you?"

"I got pregnant," Roy said smugly.

"Is that going to be your excuse for everything?"

Roy gave the barest of nods, traces of his old smirk reappearing on his face. Edward breathed a sigh of relief; Mustang wasn't too traumatized if he could smirk like that.

There was a bout of awkward fidgeting. Then, "So, how long until we eat?"

-+-

Fifteen minutes later, the couple had finished lunch and were now strolling the streets of Central. Neither of them wanted to get back to HQ. Suddenly, the shorter of the men stopped, yanking on his companion's arm.

"Roy, let's go inside!" He dragged a protesting Colonel into the shop so quickly that said protesting Colonel never got a chance to see the name of the store. "Since I won't be here for God-knows-how-long, why don't we start picking things out? I want to be involved with this child, and have a say in matters."

Roy Mustang just stood in the center of the store, dumbfounded. A maternity store. Ed had dragged him to a friggin' _maternity store_. He followed Ed around the shelves, not really paying attention. He didn't _feel_ like choosing a room color for the damned kid's nursery; couldn't the picky little brat (and here Roy wasn't sure whether he was referring to the baby or Edward) just be content with _white_? White was a neutral color, and better yet, it didn't require his undivided attention as compared to deciding what _shade_ of red or blue would best suit their house.

After Roy had finally reminded Ed that the baby wasn't due for another eight or so months, so why the hell were they looking into this _now_ , the blonde had dropped the packet of bibs he was holding. To be truthful, Roy didn't want to go baby shopping because it would be admitting Ed would be leaving, and he didn't feel like he could take it once he finally faced the truth. But of course, he acted pissed, not emotional. Even if he was pregnant, he wasn't a _girl_.

Never mind his previous emotional breakdowns.

Edward slowly nodded. "You're right, Mustang. The baby won't be here for a time yet, but you need to get through the pregnancy. Luckily, your appointment with the obstetrician is coming up in two weeks. But for now, let's buy you some maternity clothes; your stomach is gonna swell something awful."

The raven-haired man groaned. "No, I take it back, I'd much rather look at things for the brat."

"And that would be you, so go try on some gowns," Ed answered lightly, shoving a pink maternity dress into Roy's hands.

"…You want me to _what_?"

The blonde sighed, exasperated, before he repeated himself, putting meaning into every single word. "Try. On. That. Gown."

Roy narrowed his eyes. "Edward, it wouldn't fit me _now_. I'm not in that stage yet," he tried to explain, hoping for any way to get out of this. But Ed's hands were _so_ close together and Roy could almost already feel himself being transmuted into something ugly. But…Ed wouldn't do that to the baby. Still, the threat was clear.

"Then we can imagine," Ed snapped, grabbing the garment from his lover's hands and holding it up against Roy. "We can improvise." He waited a few moments, scrutinizing the appearance of Roy Mustang with a pink maternity gown covering his front.

"Oh! The man is trying on pink!" squealed a saleslady who had finally come out of hiding and approached them. _I hate doing this_ , _but I have to._ _Damn._ The two alchemists looked at one another in horror; they had momentarily forgotten they weren't supposed to call attention to themselves, and the fact that Roy Mustang had a pink maternity gown covering the front of his military uniform just screamed, "ATTENTION! ALL EYES THIS WAY TO THE ATTRACTIVE PREGNANT MAN!"

Ed twitched and explained, "No, lady, I'm just getting a good look at the damn gown, all right? It's not his dress, obviously. Mustang would never wear _pink_." He paused, his enthusiastic tantrum giving way to logic, as he fumbled for words. "Uh, I'm just trying to, uh, imagine this gown on my very pregnant sister-in-law!"

 _Good save, Ed_. Ed congratulated himself.

"We have mannequins in the storage room, if you want," the saleslady offered, frowning slightly at the disrespect the blonde was showing her. _I hope I'm doing this right. I've never been a salesperson before. Ah, what the hell, they can't tell a thing. Not a single thing._

"How about no?" Ed snarled back.

Roy only shook his head; Ed would always be Ed.

The worker only shrugged and stalked off in a huff. _As much as I'd love to stick around and pick a fight with you, pipsqueak, I have a job to do._

Just as the two alchemists were breathing a sigh of relief, they heard two familiar voices call out to them. "Colonel Mustang, Sir!" and "Mr. Fullmetal Alchemist!" Edward and Roy cringed, craning their necks to see Lieutenant Maria Ross and Sergeant Denny Bloch standing behind them.

"Jus' what the hell do you think you're doing here?" Ed spat, the panic in his chest making him lash out in anger.

The military woman only looked at him. It was the most-times oblivious blond sergeant who answered, "We were out on a date for lunch and we noticed you two slip in here, so we followed you."

Maria groaned, "We were _not_ on a _date_!"

A tick began in Roy's left eye; Ed clenched his teeth and growled. "How much did you hear?"

"We heard everything, Sir!" Denny answer cheerily. Maria slapped one hand to her forehead in frustration and another over her companion's mouth.

Both Roy and Ed paled tremendously.

Maria smiled gently, reminding the eldest Elric of his mother. The Lieutenant was always trying to mother him, and though he wanted to be treated as an equal soldier, he still appreciated the gestures. "We didn't hear the beginning, obviously. Because, as I'm sure you're aware, you two being such accomplished alchemists, it's not possible for guys to get pregnant. So what are you really up to, Sirs?"

"Blame the alchemy-" Ed started to answer her question, before Roy cut in.

"That is classified information that is not to be discussed with lower-ranking officers," the Colonel remarked in his best professional voice.

Immediately, Ross and Block stood up straighter and saluted. "Yes, Sir!"

Edward looked about the store, on the lookout for a crowd of spectators. They were making a scene, and it was drawing dangerously close to the line that would determine if they were to be found out. "Can we go now?" he whined impatiently.

" _You're_ the one who dragged me in here all of a sudden!" Roy complained.

"And now I don't want to be here!"

"Then leave!"

"I am leaving!"

They both paused, remembering the greater meaning to that statement. Quieting, they glanced at the other soldiers only to find them with their backs politely turned to give the bickering couple some privacy.

"Let's go," Roy agreed. As all four stood on the sidewalk in front of the store, he turned to Ross and Bloch. "I'm going to have to ask you to keep silent about everything you heard today. If that won't work, I'm sure an order from a superior officer might do the trick." But he needn't have worried, as they both swore their loyalty and silence.

-+-

"And what did you find out when you tailed them?" asked the same low tone of the woman. "Anything interesting or beneficial?"

Her newly-arrived companion sneered, "We've stumbled onto something huge. It appears the Flame Colonel is _pregnant_ with the Fullmetal brat's kid."

The woman looked up sharply, black hair framing her face. "You can't be serious. Don't joke about things like that, especially when we should be putting all our effort into finding someone to make the Stone for us. It seems our latest lead vanished into thin air; That Person will not be pleased if we don't show some progress soon."

"I will find that _bastard_ ," the other swore, "and _kill_ him. But until then, I'm not lying about Mustang's pregnancy."

"But how can you be so sure? We don't have time to waste on something so precarious."

Grinning manically, the other shook his head. "I can make sure. I've got a little errand to run, then. Keep watch."

-+-

Ed gasped as his back was slammed into the wall, fingers desperately tugging at the buttons of Roy's undershirt. His breathing was heavy, movements jerky and frantic.

The older, noticing this, dropped his head down a bit to lay a tempting kiss on the teen's mouth, hoisting him up to be level while still pinning him to the wall. The blonde moaned as his body was lifted upwards, himself so squashed between lover and wall that he felt the unevenness of the wall behind him and every inch of the man he loved in front; the friction was both terrifying and welcome, especially when identical bulges brushed against one another.

The blonde moaned louder, immediately wrapping his legs around Roy's waist and hips to keep him in place; he let the wall support his weight, hands now clutching Roy's shoulders. He braced himself on those shoulders, allowing his weight to shift in Mustang's arms; thrusting his lower regions into an even more intimate contact against the other alchemist's matching need.

The sensation sent a thrill through both of them, urging them onwards. Ed let his head fall back against the wall, focusing only on one central aspect of his anatomy. His lover had other ideas, though, as the Flame leaned closer to nibble on the younger man's neck.

"Now everyone will know you're taken," Roy said huskily, dark eyes boring holes into lazy pools of molten gold.

Ed only stretched his neck further in invitation.

Chuckling, Roy obligingly leant down again. Tiny kisses, bites, and sucks shifted from Edward's neck, up his throat, over his chin and nose and eyes, and finally his ears. A warm tongue snaked out to trace the shell of Ed's ear before snatching the lobe with demanding teeth.

"Ah, Roooyyy," Ed sighed.

The older alchemist paused in his ministrations, eyebrows furrowing as he glanced towards the bed. "At this rate, Edward, we'll never make it to the bed."

The Fullmetal squirmed against Roy. "Gah, who cares? This is fun too," he replied, still out-of-breath.

Smirking, the Flame bent to Ed's lips again, sealing them with his own. The hands on his shoulders clenched as the Fullmetal Alchemist quaked under the Flame. They would leave bruises later, especially the automail hand, but Roy could care less. He had far more pleasing things on his mind and under his body to think about and do.

The kiss seemed to go on forever, though it felt like too soon when they had to pull away for a split-second for much needed air; before letting their tongues clash again and again, twining around each other as each tried to dominate the other. Hums and moans erupted from the backs of their throats, the vibrations only adding to the pleasure. By the time kissing simply wasn't enough, both Roy's and Ed's caverns were completely marked and mapped by the other's tongue, thanks to the struggle ensuing between their mouths.

They barely made it to the bed before the phone rang. Apparently, Edward had finally had enough of the wall.

Roy was lying atop Ed, continuing to kiss him senseless and bury the back of Edward's head in the pillows beneath them. His hands were busy sliding lightly over Ed's sides, his legs entwined with the blonde's much like their mouth-to-mouth ministrations. Ed certainly wasn't idle, either, but he couldn't do as much with Roy's weight pinning him to the bed.

"Let's ignore it," Ed whimpered.

Roy frowned. "But what if it's something important? Like, about my doctor or your mission?"

The blonde glared in defeat. "Fine, I'll answer the damn thing. Lemme up, you bastard."

Roy's laughs followed him from the room.

"Hello, is this the Mustang residence?"

Ed glowered. "Mustang-Elric," he corrected, in a controlled, polite tone.

"This is Doctor Sutter's office, and I'm calling about an appointment that was scheduled for someone named Mustang for two weeks from today?" The questioning tone at the end suggested the receptionist wasn't so sure, or maybe that she was just confirming the information.

"That's right," Ed confirmed, starting to feel a little worried. "Is there something the matter?"

The receptionist paused before explaining, "No, but I was wondering if we could reschedule. Something has come up and Dr. Sutter won't be able to make it in two weeks, but we have an opening for the day after tomorrow at eleven, if that's okay?"

"Yeah, the sooner the better," Ed replied, finally sounding completely civilized on the phone. "Thanks, we'll be there." As he hung up, he wondered how the news would affect Roy, who had been dreading the visit for a week already.

"Well?" Roy asked, still half-dressed atop rumpled sheets.

Ed shrugged. "You were right. It was the obstetrician's office wanting to reschedule."

Dark eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "To when?"

"The day after tomorrow."

Growling, Roy turned over on his side. "Great, from two weeks to two days. What next? No sex?"

The blonde shrugged again, climbing onto the bed beside Roy. "At least not until we know it's safe for the baby. But you have two hands and a mouth and a tongue, so I suggest you start getting at it, then," Ed said, only half-jokingly, as he raised his hips suggestively from the mattress.

-+-

The Colonel swept a hand through his hair, glancing at the mountains of paperwork. He had been in a bad mood all day, and he made damn sure all his subordinates knew it. First, he was pregnant. Second, Ed was leaving, hauled off to Liore to play into Hakuro's schemes as he tried to prevent more destruction. Third, he couldn't have "I-won't-see-you-in-a-really-long-time-so-we-better-make-this-worthwhile sex" _because_ he was pregnant. And fourth, his appointment with the obstetrician, Dr. Sutter, was looming over him.

As it turned out, Ed could accompany Roy to the doctor's office, and then rush to catch his train. Well, at least Edward would be there with him this time.

He frowned, calling Hawkeye into his private office.

"Sir?"

"My appointment has been moved to tomorrow. I need more medical documents to keep Hakuro off my back; keep playing on that Mono idea, even though I am a bit insulted by it."

Riza nodded, saluted, and left Roy with his dark thoughts once more. Edward was probably at home packing, or perhaps saying good-bye to Al and Winry. The two had been out together the night previous, but they were still staying in Central for an indefinite period of time. Roy had the odd suspicion that Ed would ask them to stay while he was gone, just to protect him; his frown deepened, he could protect himself. But whatever eased Ed's mind, he supposed.

Right now his own mind was agitated.

No sex life with Edward Elric. Damn.


	5. Meetings and Departures

The afternoon dragged by at an agonizingly slow pace. In less than twenty hours, Roy was going to be the first male to be prodded at by an obstetrician. Edward Elric was going to pay dearly.

Growling at the thought, the Colonel stood, stretched, and stomped into the hallway. Even Hawkeye knew that now was not the time to push him; he was too angry and irrational to be dealt with when in this state of mind. Every little thing, however natural, irked him to no end.

The lights on in the hallway, the sound of his shoes tapping the floor as he walked, Havoc and Fuery trying to slip away unseen to the janitor's closet…

"Halt!" Mustang thundered, releasing some of his internal rage on his poor subordinates.

They both jumped at hearing their commanding officer's voice; Havoc got over it fairly quickly, but Fuery was sweating buckets and trembling throughout the entire confrontation. "Sir?"

Roy made his way over to them, glaring down as he towered over Fuery. The shorter man's whimper was nearly inaudible as Mustang's stern expression turned towards him. "What do the two of you think you are doing?"

Because Fuery was stuttering too much to speak intelligently, Havoc helped him out. "We were headed to the closet, Chief." The blonde had decided it was best to lay off the sarcasm and teasing, since clearly the Colonel was not in the mood.

Mustang stiffened; after tomorrow, he and Ed wouldn't be able to sneak off together for some alone time on base. Of course, the two had usually preferred Roy's private office to anywhere else, but sometimes they each wanted a change of scenery. Black eyes narrowed at the lower-ranking officers. "To do _what_ , exactly?" His tone was cold, suspicious, and knowing all at once; neither subordinate wanted to answer.

"To…to…to get a mop!" shouted out Fuery, grabbing a broom from the closet. Roy raised an eyebrow. Noticing the thing he held in his hand wasn't a mop, the shorter man sheepishly put it back where it belonged.

The blonde shrugged and decided to be daring. "What is it that you and the Boss do in there, hm, Chief?"

He got a low snarl in response; the expression on Mustang's face cracked, allowing the regret and worry show in his eyes for a split second before the anger came roiling back. He threw up his hands in exasperation and stalked past them, fingers itching to snap. And though he was boiling mad, he knew he couldn't torch two of his subordinates for doing something that he and Ed always did.

As the Colonel stomped away in a huff, Fuery and Havoc breathed matching sighs of relief while watching his retreating back. "So, the door's open," Havoc reminded, grinning cheekily while gesturing with his hand for Fuery to enter. "After you."

-+-

"How are your plans coming along?" inquired the dark-haired woman, tilting her head towards her companion.

His evil grin widened. "They'll play right into my hands."

"Good work, Envy," the woman congratulated lightly. "Just don't mess up. The Fullmetal boy has proven himself once; we may need him as a last resort if we don't track down our latest lead soon. He seemed promising for a while."

Envy rumbled, "The only 'promising' thing about that _bastard_ is that he's going to die easily at my hands. I swear to it."

"Still, That Person has a special interest in him. It's not going to be pretty if we lose him for good."

The other smirked. "Things never are pretty, Lust, unless you count all those wonderful, glorious bloodbaths."

-+-

"What's eating you?"

Roy stopped mid-step, glancing at Ed in disbelief. "Gee, I wonder," he spat out and continued on his way to the bedroom. The same bedroom where, only last night, he had been denied.

Edward quickly followed with a frown marring his face. "Look, I know that was a stupid question. I know there's a lot going on and you're in the worst possible position. I understand that, trust me I do, but do you have to make my last days here so meaningless by acting like a total ass to everyone?"

The older alchemist flopped face-down on the bed.

The blonde figured that was not the response he was looking for. "C'mon, Mustang. Work with me. Talk to me."

Silence from the other.

"Why are you home from work so early?" Glancing at the clock, it was two o'clock in the afternoon. An hour after the end of Roy's lunch break and about three hours before the usual end of his workday. "If you're skipping out, you're just giving Hakuro the edge he needs to make a move against you."

"Why the fuck would you care? You're leaving, remember?"

Ed winced; okay, Roy was being difficult. He always was, so what made this any different? "Roy…"

"Don't fucking talk to me."

Sighing, the blonde shrugged and made to leave the room. He would give his boyfriend time to steam, and hopefully later they could talk things through.

"And where do you think you're going?"

Edward whirled around to glare at the bed. "You don't want me here, bastard."

Roy shook his head. "I did not dismiss you, Fullmetal. I ordered you to stay silent, but I did not allow you permission to leave this room."

Ed glowered. "First off, don't you take that fucking tone with me, Mustang. We are not in your damn office and you are not in charge of me in our own bedroom. Second, why would I stay if you're only going to be all bitchy? I have better things to do and other people to hang around. In case you haven't noticed, Al is still here. I won't see my younger brother for a long time either, and that hurts more than you can possibly imagine. Being away from the both of you. You're my reasons for getting back on my feet and moving forward; you're both fundamental parts of my life."

The Flame let out a sigh after listening to Ed's tirade. "I know," he said quietly. "I'm just upset."

Letting a small smile grace his face, Ed cautiously sat down on the edge of the mattress. "Now I want to be here, since you're being reasonable. Nothing you say will leave these walls. Spill."

"What is there to explain? You know everything," Roy pointed out, scowling at Ed. "I'm just angry and confused."

"And scared?" prompted Ed gently. "It's all right to be scared, Mustang."

The darker-haired man glanced at his younger lover. "You're never scared, Ed. Don't talk."

The blonde laughed. "Yeah? I was scared when Al and Winry showed up on our doorstep after we told them of your condition. I couldn't think straight for the entire two days it took them to get here; I walked about in a daze, wondering if Al would be merciful and make it quick and painless."

They both chuckled, Roy starting to feel slightly better. "You had nothing to worry about, though," he pointed out.

Edward shrugged. "And you might be making a mountain out of a molehill, Mustang. I mean, I know it's a big deal, but I think you're focusing on it a bit too much."

"So what do you propose we do about that, Edward?"

In answer, Ed leaned down and captured Roy's lips in a kiss to rival any of their previous heated moments. Roy let him himself relax under Ed, the stress giving way to another kind of tension.

At least he could still kiss Ed. For the time being. With the remembrance of the Fullmetal's mission, the Flame tugged the younger closer to him and tried to impossibly deepen the kiss and lose himself in the other.

-+-

"This seems to be the place," Ed commented the next day, squinting at the address of the building and checking the piece of paper in his hand. "Didn't think it would be this deserted, though. It doesn't look like anybody else is here."

Roy shrugged. "Maybe most of their appointments are in the afternoon? It's only ten thirty in the morning, Ed."

Edward had insisted that they arrive at least a half-hour early, 'just in case.' "Yeah, but it's a _doctor's_ office, Roy. If they had no openings for two weeks when we first scheduled, what does that say about Dr. Sutter's reputation as an obstetrician? And then that brings up the question of _why_ they moved our appointment, but I suppose it works in our favor. Now we can get the first awkward appointment over with."

The older alchemist shrugged again and led the way into the building. "Where to, Ed?"

"Room 303," Edward said, glancing again at his sheet of directions. "We need to go to the third floor."

The Flame nodded, following the signs meant to direct visitors to the stairwell. "I just hope this Dr. Sutter guy is a respectable man," he muttered. "He'd better not tell anyone, especially not the military."

"If he does, he'll have both of us, all your subordinates, Al and Winry, Armstrong, and countless other supporters to back you up and beat him down. Relax, Mustang. We'll make it extremely clear to him about what dire consequences will arise if he breaks our trust," Ed said, trying to be encouraging but ending up sounding terribly threatening.

"There's our door," Roy pointed out, slightly glad at having their conversation end. He wasn't sure he liked hearing the tiny bit of bloodlust in Ed's tone, though it said something of how protective the blonde was of him.

Opening the door, Ed motioned Roy inside first, following only when the other was surely in the center of the room. He had been afraid Mustang might bolt, but he knew how steadfast Roy was, especially during monumental situations. "Hello?" he called out, noticing again just how _empty_ the place was. They had met nobody in the hallways, but the doors _were_ open.

A few moments later, a seemingly middle-aged man emerged from the back rooms. He wore rectangular glasses, reminding the two alchemists of a certain Lieutenant-Colonel they had both known and loved. He was slightly balding on top, but he had a kind, if unsure, smile on his face as he greeted them. "Yes? How m-may I h-h-help you this m-morning?"

Ed and Roy stared. Not because the man was a bit chubby around the middle, or because he had dark brown hair around his ears but not on his scalp, but because he seemed _surprised_ at their appearance. "We had an appointment?" Ed said, the questioning tone giving the impression that he wasn't so sure at the moment. Judging by everything they had seen, maybe he had misheard. Maybe they didn't have an appointment this morning after all.

"Ah," the doctor mumbled, hands twitching. "I thought I told my secretary that I wasn't seeing patients today. I told her I would be coming in to get some extra work done, so I'm sure she took that to mean that it was fine to move some appointments around. She has selective hearing sometimes," he laughed before explaining, "See, I normally don't work on Thursdays. It's just been so busy lately…"

"We understand," Roy said, bowing and tugging Ed down with him. "And we're terribly sorry for the inconvenience. But if it's possible, could you squeeze us in this morning? It's terribly urgent." The Colonel didn't want to think about coming back in two weeks… _without_ Edward by his side. Now that he thought about it, he was glad that his visit to the obstetrician had been moved, just for that very reason.

Dr. Sutter glanced between them for a moment. "Ah, very well. I guess I can make an exception since you two traveled all this way. Come with me, young lady," he said, motioning to Ed with a trembling hand as he turned towards the door.

Edward gaped for about three seconds before exploding with an outrageous burst of anger. "WHO ARE YOU CALLING SMALL AND FEMININE ENOUGH TO BE THE PREGNANT ONE?"

Roy immediately clapped a hand over Ed's mouth, muffling the obscenities still spewing forth from the blonde's mouth. "Actually," he said, his voice raised to be heard over Ed's tantrum, " _I'm_ the pregnant one."

The obstetrician, if a bit unsure before, looked absolutely uncertain now. "O-oh my," he stammered, wringing his hands together before collapsing into a nearby chair. "This is, um, most certainly, un-unexpected. I don't know if I've ever h-heard of a c-c-case like _th-this_ before. Aren't y-you…?" he asked, looking at Roy with a beseeching stare.

The older alchemist sighed, but made up with it with a resolute smile on his face. "Yes, I'm a guy. I guess the fact that it's empty is a bit reassuring; we were slightly worried earlier when we didn't see anybody around."

Neither alchemist noticed the small look of anxiety that crossed the doctor's face at hearing Roy's words. When he sighed, Roy and Ed thought it due to the hard-to-digest information he was suddenly confronted with. After all, Ed had just made an appointment for a 'Mustang,' the obstetrician had not had time to get used to the startling discovery of a male pregnancy beforehand.

"This will make things diff-difficult," the obstetrician muttered, his entire body shaking now.

The blonde frowned; for a man of Dr. Sutter's reputation, he seemed terribly insecure in his own office. "We trust you to keep quiet about this," Ed said firmly, the comment coming out as a command instead of a question.

Hysterical nodding on Doctor Sutter's part immediately followed Ed's words. "O-of course," he assured them. "I w-wouldn't want the Fl-Flame and Fullme-metal alchem-mists after m-me."

Roy narrowed his eyes at the doctor. "How did you know…?"

As Ed chimed in with, "We didn't introduce ourselves!"

The obstetrician looked between them nervously. "It's…n-not hard to know w-who you guys a-are. You're fa-famous, af-after all."

At once, both alchemists relaxed in light of the compliments. "Yeah, I suppose we are a bit well-known, eh Mustang?" Ed preened, standing straight (not that it amounted to much height-wise).

"I g-guess since I know who y-you are, I should intro-introduce m-my-myself. I'm Doctor Matthew Sutter," the obstetrician announced, still shaking. "I know I m-may not s-seem like i-it, b-but I'm ra-rather good at m-my j-job. W-won all these a-awards and ev-everything, one of C-Central's finest…"

"Who are you trying to convince?" Roy asked, stepping in smoothly to cut off Sutter's gloating of his competence in his field of study. "If you don't mind, I'd rather have you _prove_ you're a damn good obstetrician instead of _telling_ me your history."

Looking abashed, Sutter only nodded. "Yes. C-come to the b-back, p-please?"

As he moved with a slow gait past the doors, Ed leaned over to whisper in Roy's ear, "Should've been named Matt _Stutter_ , huh?" They both shared a laugh at the obstetrician's expense before following.

"N-now, let's s-see. I'm g-guessing it has to do with al- _alchemy_ , right?" the doctor asked. At their nods, he continued, "I'm not s-sure how things will g-go. I've n-never seen a child born through alchemy, much less a child borne by a _male_." As he talked, he seemed to grow more confident, losing his habit of stuttering. "I'll do my best, but I'll need to know anything you can tell me that led to the baby's conception. I can guess the basics," he said, grey eyes seeming to sparkle in amusement as he looked between the two alchemists, causing them to blush.

Roy coughed to cover the awkward moment, plunging on to answer, "Yes, well. It is, as you said, a pregnancy possible through alchemy. And, yes, Edward is the 'father.' I was doing some experimentation, trying to draw an array that bypassed illegal human transmutation. I'm telling you this in strictest confidentiality, Doctor," he reminded, gazing sternly at Sutter.

"Human transmutation?" Sutter asked, leaning forward a bit eagerly. "Really? Did you have any success? Oh, silly me, of course this pregnancy is the result. Not what you were expecting, eh? Can you show me the arrays you used?"

Both Ed and Roy stared at him in shock. "You're an alchemist?" Ed asked, voicing their bewilderment.

The obstetrician looked at them blankly for a moment before laughing, a bit strained, "Ah, n-no, n-not at a-all. I kn-know the b-basics of al-alchemy, but I c-could never d- _do_ it p-personally."

Frowning, Roy stated, "Human transmutation is barely _basic alchemy_ , Doctor Sutter."

"I st-stand by the f-fact that I'm n-not an a-alchemist," the doctor repeated.

"Then why do you want to see the arrays, if you can't use or understand them? You've already vowed not to tell anyone our secret," Ed spoke, sounding suspicious.

Sutter shrugged. "I'm j-just trying to get a f-firm grasp on wh-what's going on. A-any l-little detail c-could make a d-difference." He sighed, taking off his glasses to polish them as he launched into an explanation. "See, if the child was _conceived_ through alchemy, it might be that it can only be _treated_ through alchemic procedures, understand? If we went about this as any normal pregnancy, it could bring about unwanted reactions. If alchemy already messed with your hormones and bio-chemical make-up, then you don't know what else it can change in regards to either yourself _or_ the baby."

The Fullmetal stared at him. "So, you're saying you can't help us?"

"N-no!" Sutter exclaimed, barely letting Ed finish. "I p-promise, I'll d-do what I c-can. I'm just saying that we might not want to go about this like any other pregnancy. It could cause complications, and we don't want things to go wrongly throughout these next…erm, how far along are you, Mr. Mustang?"

Roy thought a moment, counting the weeks in his head. "About the fifth or sixth week, the beginning of my second month," he replied.

"Ah," the doctor stammered, "I-if I may be s-so bold as to a-ask, well," he stuttered, red-faced. "This isn't n-normal," he explained, gesturing to his blush, "but, ah, your internal organs shifted about to make room for a womb and ovaries and such female sex parts, yes?" At Mustang's nod, he continued, "And, wh-what about y-your _external_ body parts…?"

There was a moment of silence before Ed scowled and said rudely, "You're asking if he still has his cock? Yeah, he friggin' does, and I'd appreciate it if you never fucking ask to see it. It's _mine_." Roy blushed immensely during Ed's rant, yanking him backwards a bit.

"Ed," the Flame warned. The blonde fidgeted, but didn't break out into any more outbursts.

Matthew Sutter only gawked at Ed. "Well, you're a j-jealous one, a-aren't you? I'd th-think you'd be u-used to it; R-Roy's a p-pretty a-attractive man."

Ed would have lunged at the doctor had Roy not held him back. "Bastard! Don't call him Roy! And don't hit on him!"

The obstetrician chuckled then, shaking his head. "I w-wasn't, Mr. E-Elric. It was m-merely an o-observation."

"Then keep your observations to yourself or I'll shove them up your ass," Ed snarled, still seething. Mustang squeezed Ed's shoulders harshly as another warning.

"Anyways," Sutter continued, glaring at Ed's steaming face, "the reason I asked in the first place was to know if the delivery was going to be a standard procedure. But obviously, a male's body is not built for such things, so I think a cesarean section will have to do. A C-section is the usual alternative; some women have surgery to give birth as compared to vaginal birth, which you are not capable of, Mr. Mustang."

The blonde relaxed only a bit, though he was still mad inside. The doctor had been playing him! "Okay, okay, let's just get to the _now_. The baby's not due for another eight months, so let's focus on keeping it alive inside Mustang until then. What do we need to do to keep it healthy?"

Sutter again stared at them blankly for a moment. "Well, uh, you have to, um, eat right. Oh, and no sex, especially with your unusual circumstances. I'd recommend taking some, uh," he stammered again, looking around the room. "Prenatal vitamins!" he screamed, almost hysterically, as grey eyes focused on a pamphlet. "They help with, uh, folic acid, which can help prevent, um, birth defects, as stated in this pamphlet!" he said quickly, thrusting said pamphlet at them.

"Shouldn't you know all this already?" Roy asked, a bit skeptically as he flipped through the pages.

Sutter nodded, still in a bit of a frenzy. "Yes, but I, uh, you're an unusual case and m-my mind just went kaput for a moment."

Slowly, the two soon-to-be daddies nodded.

"There's not much I can do for you at the moment," the obstetrician said, wringing his hands again. "It's not you, per se, but I can't exactly poke around inside to make sure everything's all right. And we won't be able to listen to the baby's heartbeat until the…um, well, sometime later."

"Like the eighth week and beyond?" Mustang asked, reading the leaflet again.

Sutter nodded frantically; Roy and Ed were getting used to the man's stutters and spastic movements by now.

"You'll be fine, M-Mustang. Just don't overexert yourself, eat a lot of protein and minerals, especially prenatal vitamins, exercise but don't overdo it, get a lot of rest, at least eight hours a night, keep a steady head, and be sure to stay on top of things emotionally. You may have morning sickness and nausea, and mood swings, and weird food cravings, but it's all normal. Some women like to keep a journal to keep track of the little progressions throughout the pregnancy. This will help us identify your health and the baby's development, that way we can provide the best care possible. You shouldn't have to worry about much during your First Trimester, but do try to keep a low profile until your fourth month." Doctor Sutter heaved a deep breath before staring them in the eyes. "And though it may be normal for heterosexual couples to have an active sex life, I want the two of you to keep far away from one another. This is the first male-pregnancy breakthrough and we can't do anything to jeopardize it. Understood?"

Roy turned to stare deliberately at the wall. "Damn increased sex drive," he murmured.

"You've always had a healthy sex drive," Ed remarked dryly, having heard the muttered comment. "But it shouldn't be a problem, Doc. I'm leaving for a long mission, so we won't have the temptation."

"Oh, really?" Sutter tried to push away the gleam in his eye at this golden nugget of information, but both alchemists saw it and were wary of it. "That's too bad, really too bad," he verbally sympathized, shaking his head.

"Yeah…" Ed responded, gazing doubtfully at the doctor for a long moment.

Sutter leapt to his feet, jittery again. "Y-yes, well. That's all I can do, f-for n-now anyway." Edward had the odd suspicion that he was trying to cover up his too-interested expression at the news of the Fullmetal's separation from the Flame.

Still, the obstetrician didn't do anything, and both alchemists breathed a sigh of relief once they were finally free from the man's presence.

-+-

Behind them, a smug smirk wormed its way onto Sutter's face. "This is just too good to be true."

-+-

"The asshole!" Ed exclaimed as they stood on the sidewalk in front of the building. He was deeply upset from their encounter with the supposed capable obstetrician, and he repeatedly voiced his anger and frustration in insults and obscenities.

The two alchemists were waiting for Lieutenant Havoc to pick them up and drive them to the train station. Since it was almost the standard lunch hour, Havoc was allowed to "borrow" a military vehicle and escort the Fullmetal Alchemist and his Flame to their destination.

"Calm down, Edward," Roy shushed, trying to soothe his boyfriend. "I know you're distraught, but now is neither the time nor place to express it."

Red-faced, the blonde stomped angrily about the sidewalk while they waited. He was still high-strung by the time Havoc pulled up with the car, smoke seeming to billow from his ears. Roy gently opened the door, and Ed flung himself into the backseat with all the grace he could muster. Which wasn't much. The Colonel slid in quietly after him, pulling the car door shut behind him. He nodded to the blond driver, signaling it was time to go, and bit his lip as the vehicle lurched forward.

Edward was still livid and tense, shaking in his seat next to his boyfriend. Noticing Ed's state of distress, Roy hauled him close to his side, wrapping a comforting arm around him. Again, he thought with a wry smile, it looked like Ed would always be the overemotional one in their relationship, pregnancy hormones or no. The blonde relaxed under Roy's touch, leaning further into Roy's side as he laid his head on his Flame's shoulder, eyelids falling shut to hide boiling circles of gold.

Roy let a small smile find its way onto his face, shifting about so the arm enclosing his lover to him could skim across Ed's chest. With a gasp, the blonde's tawny eyes shot wide open, his breathing starting to quicken from Mustang's hands rubbing circles on his front. And better and more torturous yet, one of those skilled hands was gradually inching its way southward, making the younger stiffen with anticipation as Roy's fingers danced nearer to their goal.

Havoc kept his eyes trained strictly on the road, even though he dearly would have loved to spy on the occupants in the backseat and see what was making all those shuffling noises. But he wasn't naive; he had a boyfriend, he could tell. And the Boss and Chief deserved every last speck of happiness they could get, because they each had a hard lot.

-+-

Only pulling away from one another once the car stopped, Roy and Ed sighed and grinned at one another. Thank goodness for tinted windows and Havoc's utmost respect for their privacy; the Lieutenant's ears were bright red, but he didn't comment except to throw a box of tissues their way, suggesting, "You might want to clean up, Chief."

"Roy, the doctor said not to overexert yourself!" Ed admonished, yanking his travel-bags from his boyfriend's hands.

The Colonel glanced at Ed with an annoyed expression on his face. "I was just helping you with your bags, Ed, no need to get so upset. And besides, I thought you hated the man."

The blonde shrugged. "I do, but that doesn't mean he doesn't know his stuff. He's a professional; I'd say we listen to him." It could also be that Ed was just in a great mood from their car ride to the train station.

"Actually, it seemed he _didn't_ know his stuff, Ed. He had to read it off a pamphlet, or else he'd just trail off and not finish what he was going to say. All his advice was pure common sense: eat right, take it easy, don't let anyone know. That's what we've _been_ doing. That appointment didn't help us one _damn_ bit!" Roy fumed.

Edward tilted his head up at his lover. "Well, as he said, he's never been faced with a male pregnancy before. And he had a point about the whole involvement of alchemy changing the normal treatments and so-on. And he's not an alchemist, so I'm sure he doesn't know what to do in that regard. And besides, he did have some helpful information, like about the prenatal vitamins and pregnancy logbook. You already keep an alchemic-code journal, keeping another about your pregnancy shouldn't be too hard."

"Why the hell are you _defending_ that quack?" Roy demanded. "And I don't buy the whole _I'm not an alchemist_ act. He knew about human transmutation, Ed. That sounds fishy to me."

"Because if I can't trust a certified doctor to take care of you while I'm gone, then who _can_ I trust?" Ed nearly-shouted back at him. "Sure, there's Hawkeye and Al and everyone else, but none of _them_ know anything about pregnancies!" His shoulders slumped forward, shaking, and Roy instantly felt guilty for making Edward upset.

Roy took a deliberate step forward, wrapping one arm around the blonde. "I'm sorry," he whispered urgently, burying his nose into blond strands of hair. He hoped Edward knew he was sorry for all of it, for all the times he acted selfish and childish and irrational. It wasn't often Roy Mustang apologized, but both his new hormone levels and the enormity of Ed's departure made a big difference in his attitude. Especially towards his blond boyfriend of over three years.

Edward only shook his head in response, lifting said head upwards to catch Roy's lips with his own. The older man's arms came about Ed's waist in an automatic response as he returned the kiss, ignoring the train whistle in the background.

They broke apart seconds later, both reluctant to leave the other's arms. "I am, too," Ed whispered, grabbing his suitcase in a gloved, automail hand.

Mustang was ensured a few more seconds of Ed's presence by a new voice, shouting, "Brother!" Edward paused, turning to see his younger sibling hurl himself at him in an enthusiastic hug. "I couldn't let you leave without saying another good-bye," Al said before they could ask. "Be safe, keep a level head. Brother, _please_ don't overreact if someone calls you you-know-what…I won't be there to hold you back. I promise to take care of Mustang for you, but only until you come back to take him off my hands, deal?"

Roy fought back an amused smile, reminding himself of the solemnity of the situation. Ed was leaving for Liore, leaving him alone for an indefinite amount of time. Pregnant. And he had asked his younger brother to keep him safe, just as Roy had suspected. Still, the two brothers loved one another more than anything, so it was entirely expected that they behave like this.

"Of course, Al. Take care of Winry, too, okay? And yourself?" With Al's promises, Ed hugged his younger brother and Roy one last time before boarding the train, suitcase in tow.

"We'll miss him," Roy mumbled, causing Al to nod in agreement. "All four of us," the Flame continued, nodding. "But he'll be back. He's Fullmetal; he's more than capable of taking care of himself. He'll be back soon, safe and sound."

The younger Elric kept nodding. "Yes, I don't think we could expect any less from my brother."

-+-

But as the next day rolled about, Roy realized with a sinking feeling that it wasn't Edward he should have been worried about.


	6. Revelations

Ed yawned as he disembarked from the train in Liore, stretching once he was finally free from the bustle of the crowd. "I wonder if there are so many people coming here because they all want to be part of the rebellion against the military," he thought aloud, glancing about. None of the civilians _seemed_ to be dangerous; there were no brandished weapons or close-knit circles of hushed whispers. It all seemed normal. Except for the fact that there was a large group of people talking animatedly at a train station at one in the morning.

He shook the tired and numb feeling from his body, stiff from spending more than twelve hours on a cramped, cushion-less train seat. "Now I gotta find someone to drive me to the actual city," he muttered, a displeased expression on his face. Why couldn't the "Liore Train Station" be _in_ Liore? Even Youswell was located right beside the train tracks!

In almost a daze, the blond alchemist finally managed to hitch a ride across the desert. How many times had he been there? Too many, and with a lot of bad memories attached. But still. He was here on business, and Al was safe in Central. To be sure, he had asked his younger brother to take care of Mustang, but he knew Mustang would return the favor and look out for Al; the Colonel had an innate "keep Elrics safe" nature.

As he stumbled out of the car, dragging his travel-worn suitcase behind him, his attention was diverted to a recognizable figure in the center of a large crowd. Despite it being in the middle of the night, people were wide-awake, carrying lanterns and torches as they surrounded the girl that had caught Ed's interest. "Rose?" he asked, though nobody paid him any heed as they were all scurrying to get closer to the pink and brown-haired girl.

His face set and determined, Ed pushed his way through the mass of people, yelling, "ROSE!" as he got nearer his long-time friend.

The young woman didn't seem to hear him at first; she was addressing the people, all of whom seemed enthusiastic in listening to her speak. "And without _your_ efforts, this revolution could not have come about. After three years of planning and sacrifice, we are finally ready to reap the fruits of our labor. Soon this tyranny will no longer dominate the Common Man, and you will be called "heroes" for your part in freeing the People from the oppressive control of the military!" Her words were met by wild cheers and encouragements.

Rose waited another moment, adding, "The first offensive stage of our plan begins now. We'll need someone to infiltrate military Headquarters in Central and relay their weaknesses from that vantage point. We have enough materials to storm the capital, but rash action has never been the wisest course. We must plan our attack, and strategize to minimize the number of deaths and keep innocents from being caught in the scuffle." Again, her audience clapped and whistled.

Edward gaped at her for a long moment before continuing to push his way through the crowd. "ROSE!"

The young woman froze, purple eyes darting to look for the source of the voice. "Ed…EDWARD ELRIC?" she called out loudly, surprised. Rebels in the crowd shifted excitedly; it was well-known that the Fullmetal Alchemist was the "Hero of the People." "You came to help us, Edward?" Rose implored, beckoning the short blonde to stand beside her in the middle of the commotion.

"What's going on here, Rose?" Ed asked, a bit confused, as he sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

Grinning broadly, she answered, "I'm doing what you always told me to do, Ed. I'm taking control of my life and turning it into something worthwhile. I've picked myself off my feet and am moving forward with the best of my abilities. I can't change the past, but I can ensure that the future is free from the military's corruption. I'm doing my best to make the future a better place, even if the means to create that future might cause bloodshed."

Edward frowned. "Rose, that's not going to work. A rebellion like this is not the answer!" He yawned again, feeling strained. He wanted a good, long sleep, and maybe some food. And then he wanted to go home to Roy and his brother.

"You're just tired. You'll see the sense in my efforts tomorrow, Ed. Come on, you can sleep at my place tonight." As she took his elbow, she turned again to the crowd and informed them loudly, "Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, has arrived to help the plight of the Common Man!"

And Ed was too busy trying to keep his eyes open to protest the applause in his honor.

-+-

"Good morning, Col- er, I mean, Roy," Alphonse greeted as he slid into the seat across Mustang at the breakfast table. He was still getting used to thinking of the Flame Alchemist as anything but his brother's commanding officer.

Roy nodded tiredly at the younger Elric, almost falling forward in his seat. "I suppose," he answered vaguely, staring longingly at Ed's vacant seat.

Al bit his lip to keep from commenting. "Brother will be back soon, you'll see."

"Yeah, he'll whoop their asses and come straight home to you!" chimed in Winry, her eyes oddly glinting.

The Colonel smiled at their attempts to lighten the mood and cheer him up. "Ah, thank you for your support, but I'd rather keep to myself for the time being."

His companions looked at one another worriedly before Al responded with, "But Brother instructed us to keep you happy. You don't look very happy."

"And we know you're sad, but you have to learn to deal and keep moving. At least Ed's coming back," Winry added. "Not everyone comes back," she whispered, her hands clutching the tabletop until her knuckles turned white.

Al instinctively moved to comfort his wife; Roy kept his gaze squarely on his empty plate. Like that wasn't a guilt-reminder, right there.

The Flame pushed his seat back and strode from the kitchen, giving them their moment of privacy as he sought his own personal space.

-+-

"Is it confirmed?"

"Positively, Lust. The Flame Colonel is indeed pregnant with the Fullmetal brat's spawn," Envy cackled.

Lust sniffed and crossed her arms over her chest, staring over the city of Central. "Hm, if it's true, our master would want to know the details. Can I trust you to handle things here while I head out East?"

The other Sin smirked. "Don't worry, Lust. I have everything under control."

The woman homunculus turned to the other again, nodding once. "And I trust you to act if something happens with our… _other interest_. And what I mean by that is, don't kill him. That Person will want to pass judgment first, understood?"

Envy growled. "I've been serving the master for over three centuries longer than you. I think I know where to draw the line; and besides, our master knows how I long to kill him."

"Still, be careful," Lust warned, straightening as she took purposeful steps into the darkness. "Come, Gluttony. We're going on a little trip out East."

"Can I eat the East?" Gluttony whined, sucking a finger as drool slipped down his chin.

Envy smirked, watching them go. Even if things didn't pan out with their other project, the Flame Colonel's condition was a gratifying development in their plans.

-+-

Roy Mustang was assaulted with various forms of condolences from his subordinates when he stepped into his office the morning following Ed's departure.

"We know how hard this'll be on your sex drive, Chief. But at least you got some good action in at the last minute, eh? I should be scolding you about restraint, but…I just can't muster the will-power to do that," Havoc said, shaking his head.

Fuery nodded in agreement, still scared from being caught with Havoc near the closet two days prior.

"Colonel, we're terribly sorry to hear about yesterday," Riza interjected. "We know how much you were dreading meeting Dr. Sutter for the first time. And to have it turn out like that…"

Roy glanced at her sharply. "How do you know about that? Who told you? Ed and I never said anything to anybody about the appointment."

The four men and one woman who were dedicated to Mustang looked at one another warily. "Um, Sir," Hawkeye said softly. "Perhaps you should read the Central Times. There's something in there I think you might be interested in reading."

With a panicked frown, Roy stretched out one hand for the newspaper. His brow puckered, dark eyes started to scan the front page.

-+-

"Rose, listen to me! I'm telling you, it's not gonna work. I mean, I knew _someone_ had to be in charge of uniting all the rebel groups against Central Headquarters, but I just never connected the position with _you_. You've always been so kind-hearted and innocent; what happened?" Ed lectured, glaring at the girl with blazing golden eyes.

The leader of the rebel faction stood firm against her blond friend's tirade. "It was the military who intervened after Cornello and encouraged the civil war in this city. It was the military who made a city skirmish into an all-out battlefield. It was the military who destroyed this town three years ago, just for the sake of your precious alchemists' Philosopher's Stone. Liore hasn't been the only city, either. All the visiting civilians are here to support our cause; _you_ of all people know how corrupt the military is, Edward. Please understand."

The alchemist's lips stretched into a thin, displeased line. "No. Trust me, you'll just be putting all these civilians in harms way. The military has alchemists and chimeras, and all sorts of dangers associated with it. For one, it wouldn't be safe. It's suicide to think you can take them on like this! And for another, needless violence is never the answer. I've learned that throughout my years of traveling."

Rose shuddered. "You can tell the military what you just told me about needless violence, Ed. They started this conflict, and we, the oppressed, are going to finish it. We've been planning for three years, and it's finally time to put our plan into action. _We can't afford to wait any longer_!"

"But this isn't the right road to take!" Ed protested, waving his arms about.

"I want my son to grow up in a time of peace, Edward. Can't you understand? The military won't listen to us. There's no alternative!" Rose shouted back, almost in hysterics.

The blonde quieted. "It's not the entire military, Rose. It's just the current Fuhrer is a war-loving git, that's all. Once he's out of office, then there's no telling what changes might come about because of a power-switch," he said gently, taking a slow step closer to his friend.

Rose's head whipped up, pink bangs ruffling with the movement; her eyes flashed dangerously at Ed and she tore off, leaving a bewildered blonde and a few mumbling sympathizers who shot looks of disgust and disappointment in the State Alchemist's direction.

"Did I offend her somehow?" Ed asked bluntly, turning in circles as he stared at the civilians for help.

-+-

"Master," Lust greeted, Gluttony standing ever-faithfully behind her. "I've come from Central with interesting news." Their master seemed agitated somehow, upset, and yet insatiably pleased at the same time.

"It must be urgent, for you to come all this way," the woman controlling the Sins answered back. "Is it about the Elrics?"

Lust started to shake her head - then stopped. "Actually, yes. It appears the Flame Colonel has been impregnated with the Fullmetal One's child. There was some complex alchemy involved, and the ability to bear children was one of the side-effects that affected Mustang. Envy, Gluttony, and I thought you might be able to make use of this top-secret information."

"How did you find out?" their master asked slowly, turning to them with a calculating gaze. "Are you positively sure? And have you news of our other project? Has he shown any sign of being willing to accommodate us?"

The Homunculi took a step back with the barrage of questions. Lust answered each one as carefully as she could, her voice never losing its cool. "We've always kept an eye on the Elric boys, even after they succeeded in returning the younger brother to his body. Remember, we wanted to keep track of their potential. They may not have been motivated any longer to create another Stone for us, but it would be foolish to just forget about them altogether. So of course we picked up on news of the pregnancy. Envy made double-sure it was true. And no, our promising lead is still in hiding. I assure you, master, that we will capture him once we finally find him."

"Capture! Eat!" chimed in Gluttony.

Their master only let a deceitful smile curve her lip. "So, the Flame is pregnant with the Fullmetal's baby. Have you and Envy taken any action about this turn of events?" she demanded harshly of the two Homunculi before her.

Lust looked startled for a moment, but shook her head a 'negative.' "We await your orders."

The girl that was their master smiled cruelly. "Take him to Pride."

-+-

"This can't be true," Roy mumbled, letting the newspaper drop from limp fingers. "It's just not possible. I mean, this can't be happening. It doesn't make _sense_."

Falman leaned down to snatch the Central Times off the floor. "You mean that when you met with the doctor yesterday, he…?"

The Colonel only continued to shake his head in disbelief and confusion. "I don't understand this." Ignoring Falman's prodding, he slumped in his seat, lifting his feet to rest on his desk and dirty his paperwork.

"Should we be doing something about it?" Breda ventured, chewing the inside of his cheek.

His superior stared at him. "What _can_ we do? We can't change the past; it's already happened. We wait, and let everything unfold by itself."

His subordinates nodded, trusting their commanding officer.

-+-

Envy's scowl at answering the phone morphed quickly into a smirk at the master's orders, or "allowances." It was what he'd been dying to do ever since he'd learned of the Flame's predicament, but he and the other Sins, including Pride, did not want to mess up That Person's plans.

Laughing maliciously, the Sin morphed into someone else and made his way to the Fuhrer's office. It was never very hard for him to sneak in; he was an expert at disguising himself. And acting, as he had proven just recently.

Pride would dearly love a reason to make a move against Mustang, and Envy was more than happy to give him one.

-+-

Edward tapped on the door to Rose's house before slowly pushing it open. Technically, she did invite him to stay with her while he was there. And to be truthful, he was relieved because she was one of his good friends; there was also the fact that he was spending time in the center of operations with the leader of the rebellion. For the life of him, Ed still had trouble grasping the mere idea that it was _Rose_ who was in charge.

Something just didn't feel right.

"Hey, Rose?" he called out, ears straining for an answer. Silence. "I'm really sorry about what I said to offend you!" he continued yelling, stepping farther into the room. "I just…can we talk?"

Moments later, the young woman stepped into the main room. "Okay, Ed. I'm sorry, too; I didn't mean to get so upset."

"No, you had every right to get upset," the blonde assured, letting himself sink into a chair. "Still, it looks like you're feeling better," he observed, tilting his head at her, his braid swinging from the motion. Rose still had a couple tear streaks down her cheeks, but her eyes were shining with something other than tears. She seemed…happy. Really happy.

"Well, I just had a visit from a couple friends of mine. They had good news, and they cheered me up," Rose explained, letting a small giggle escape her lips.

Edward only nodded very slowly. "About the rebellion?" he pressed.

Rose shook her head, her smile widening. "No. Just something that made me happy to hear, nothing to worry about."

The blonde stared at her, scrutinizing her, before shrugging one shoulder. "All right, Rose, you're entitled to your secrets. But, seriously, we need to have a professional discussion about this rebellion. I promise not to yell this time."

His companion nodded. "Okay. But let me check on my son first; I haven't seen him all morning. I'm planning this rebellion for the sake of the innocent, but that doesn't mean I should neglect my child to get to that stage. You know what I mean, Ed?" she asked, gazing at him oddly, as if returning his stare from earlier.

Edward fidgeted in his seat from the unexpected turn of affairs. "Uh, yeah," he mumbled, sure his cheeks were turning crimson. Why did women have to _be so intuitive_? And why was his body betraying him by blushing at the mere mention of having kids?

Rose dipped her head, seeming satisfied with his response.

-+-

"What are you doing in my office, Envy?" Fuhrer Bradley asked gruffly.

Envy's body shimmered slightly as he morphed into his trademark form. "Aw, you don't let me have any fun," he remarked disappointedly. "But I have some news for you that you might be interested in hearing." Both homunculi glanced about the room, making sure of their privacy, before Envy leaned in. "The Flame Colonel is pregnant. With the Fullmetal brat's kid." Looking pleased at being the bearer of such important news, the shape-shifter pulled back, smirking.

"Mustang?" the Fuhrer asked, bewildered. Well, that explained some things, at least. General Hakuro had been complaining to him about Mustang for weeks now, and, quite frankly, it was starting to wear on his nerves. He loathed the Flame just as much, but there wasn't anything he could do. Politically speaking.

Until now.

Envy nodded in confirmation.

A vindictive smirk curled Pride's lip.

-+-

Roy twitched uncomfortably in his seat. He was already high-strung because Edward had left on a mission, but the added complications of the newspaper story added to his overall perplexity. He had met Dr. Sutter at the obstetrician's office, as was expected. And though the man seemed unprofessional and scary, to put it lightly, Mustang hadn't pinned him as anything but what he was. Which didn't line up with what the paper proclaimed.

"I'm going for a walk," he informed Hawkeye, who only nodded.

"Be safe," she warned. Riza would have liked to keep Roy in plain sight at all times, but that would mean abandoning her own duties. And she had to stick to those _and_ cover for her superior officer. And besides, what trouble could befall the Flame in the midst of Central Headquarters?

And _where_ were the Colonel's other subordinates? She understood they were permitted a lunch hour, but she didn't like being Roy's sole babysitter.

She had the job while Roy was at the office, and Alphonse took over from there. Mustang would always be watched.

Allowing him ten minutes of free time to walk around Headquarters was a small luxury compared to everything that had been taken from him.

-+-

The abduction happened in a matter of seconds; the result of quick, muffled orders and flawless precision in following those instructions to the last, minute detail. Mustang's subordinates might have been the most loyal on base, but some of Hakuro's men were equally as capable and qualified soldiers.

Roy felt rather than saw the hallway lurch in front of him, his mind registering the weight holding him down moments later. After a brief scuffle, which ended with the Flame rendered useless thanks to water and the numbers against him, a hand covered his eyes to block the rush of colors and images that came about due to the action. "H-" he started to scream, but was immediately silenced with a smelly gag. Roy wasn't sure whether he had intended to call for help, or call Hawkeye. Either would have worked, if given the chance.

"Well, well, Mustang," a smug voice sounded above the Colonel's head. "It seems that your little secret has gotten out. I wonder, how _have_ you managed to keep it to yourself this long?" Roy identified the voice as belonging to Hakuro. "I was astonished when His Excellency summoned me to his office for an important mission, only to find out the impossible news that you're…well, let's save it for the interrogation, shall we?"

The Flame squirmed and screamed against the gag, trying his best to free his wrists from the men holding him captive.

"What's that? You want to be utterly humiliated in public and you want to be punished for keeping this information from the State? I'm sure we can arrange that," the General continued mockingly. "You know where to take him, boys. Move out."

The last thing Roy heard before darkness overtook control of his senses was the sound of derisive laughter.

-+-

"Why were you giving a speech at one in the morning?" inquired Ed patiently, leaning forward over Rose's kitchen table. "Seems like an odd time to host a rebel meeting."

Rose shrugged and smiled. "Well, we were waiting for the late train to arrive. You know, you were on it."

"And you couldn't wait until the next day?" the blonde prompted.

The young woman shook her head, still smiling, though it seemed a bit strained now. "Well, I suppose, technically we could have. But the crowd loves being out that late; it gives the whole rebellion a sense of adventure, doesn't it?" Rose asked, laughing slightly.

"It's not exactly a covert operation," Ed pointed out. "Sure, you'd think late night meetings might hide your secrets, but a large mass of people in the middle of the town square after midnight? You have to know that's going to draw attention to your plans. What if the military found out? It would be so easy for them to come out of the darkness and wipe you all out."

Rose shrugged again. "You're the military representative they sent, Ed. No worries."

Ed looked frazzled at the almost nonchalant attitude Rose was expressing at the safety of the rebels _she_ was in charge of leading. "But what if it hadn't been me?" he pressed, worried.

His friend stared him in the eye. "But it didn't turn out that way, Edward, so don't worry about it. What's done is done. Nothing bad happened, so relax."

"But something bad _could_ happen!" Ed pointed out, reining in his temper as best he could. Didn't Rose see the danger?

"Potentially," Rose said lightly. "Something bad could happen if you cross the street. Don't make such a big fuss; everything's fine."

The blonde inhaled a deep breath, counting to ten to calm himself. "But this is a serious situation. I know you understand that, Rose. If you continue with your idea of invading Central, it will only lead to innumerable deaths and tragedies."

"I know," Rose started to say, a pregnant pause filling the air before she added, "that we can succeed."

Ed narrowed his eyes. Something was definitely off-kilter with either himself or Rose. And he knew he was in a strange mood thanks to his boyfriend's impossible pregnancy; he was _used_ to that odd feeling in the pit of his stomach by now. Which meant that something was wrong with Rose. And he had known it since he had first heard her giving speeches to the rebel factions.

-+-

When Roy came to, he realized he was tied down to a chair. He was definitely sitting upright, though he couldn't tell much else; he was still pretty much disoriented from the abduction. "Hello?" he managed throatily, swallowing. It was dark. That much he knew for certain.

A bright light suddenly lit above his head, beams shining directly into his eyes, making him squint.

"Ah, the infamous Colonel Mustang awakes. It doesn't take much to put you down, does it?" mocked Hakuro's voice coming from a distance across the interrogation glass. There was the sound of a door opening and shutting, followed by two sets of footsteps approaching his chair. "Then again, I'm sure the Fullmetal Alchemist could tell us how easy it is to get you in a lying-down position, hm?"

Roy frowned at the insult, but he wasn't exactly in a position to do anything about it. "Mm," he grunted noncommittally. He would play along; Hakuro only wanted to bait him, but he would do just the opposite. "Yes," he agreed, voice louder. "Ed would love to gloat about how he pushed me down and climbed on top, but he's not here to ask. _You_ sent him to Liore, remember?" he reminded. He couldn't help the resentment and sarcasm that crept into his voice; only a couple sentences into the interrogation and he was playing right into the General's hands. Damn.

There was a moment of stunned silence before more laughter filled the room.

"Isn't that unfortunate?" asked the second voice, one which sounded vaguely familiar, yet Roy still couldn't place it. It sounded female.

Hakuro chuckled and sat neatly in a chair opposite Mustang. "To stall any of _your_ questions, Mustang, let me start out by saying this. I'm not giving you information because you deserve to know; I'm telling you so I can see your face and spit on it when you realize how trapped you are. Do you know how the Fuhrer received word of your…condition?" he baited, carefully avoiding the word 'pregnancy.'

Roy lifted his chin in his best superior manner. "I'm guessing it was the person posing as Dr. Sutter who tipped him off. After all, according to Central Times, the real obstetrician was brutally murdered a mere day before my rescheduled appointment. Coincidence?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

The General snarled, "It's really none of your damned business, Mustang. But no. You're wrong. It wasn't Dr. Sutter, or whoever it was you met at the doctor's office. A few days ago, you and your little lover visited a maternity shop. And you weren't quite so discreet about your secret."

The Colonel's frown deepened, tilting his head to squint at the silhouette behind the light in the room. He thought a moment, finally registering the second voice in his memory. "Ah, the store clerk?" he asked. "The one Ed was so rude to?"

"That's right," the clerk declared. "Serves the two of you right for how you treated me."

"Please," Roy responded, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Now was so not the time. "Ed's like that to everybody, and you were nosing in our business. That didn't give you the right to blab to the military." Even to his own ears, Roy knew his arguments were lame. The deed was done, and no doubt the girl was laughing it up inside at his current predicament.

The girl hummed in the back of her throat before turning to the General. "Actually, General, can I ask to talk to the Flame Colonel alone?" Though surprised, Hakuro nodded and left the room, standing watch outside the window, his back turned for privacy purposes. The one responsible for informing the military of such wonderful news deserved whatever she asked for.

Inside the interrogation room, the girl moved over so Roy could see her properly. "You _were_ right," she informed, smirking. "Though the General doesn't know about us, so I'm afraid we'll have to keep him out of the loop. Why am I telling you? Just to let you know what you're in for, Flame Colonel. So you can sit, shivering in fear, at what my master intends to do with you. You're the first pregnant male; think of the alchemic experiments that could be conducted on you! You're a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And I can assure you, my master's methods aren't exactly pain-free. And if, perchance, the treatment isn't cruel enough…I have enough leeway to improvise." The malicious grin shot his way made Roy more than a little uneasy.

"Why should I listen to you?" he spat, angry sparks nearly shooting from his eyes.

The girl only let a corner of her mouth turn upwards in answer. "You're free not to believe me, if you're so inclined." There was a white flash of light and Dr. Sutter's face appeared attached to the maternity clerk's body. "B-but it would b-be in y-your b-best i-in-interest to l-listen to m-my w-warnings." A spiteful laugh followed the stuttering; there seemed to be a lot of cruel laughter ringing today.

Roy couldn't hide the hitch in his throat at the sudden and unexpected change. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded harshly.

Envy paused, smirking again at Roy's face. "I can be _whoever_ you want me to be," he whispered, morphing into a picture-perfect copy of Edward.

-+-

Extra Armor!Al "MPreg" Blooper

-+-

"Brother! It's the miracle of life!"

Edward blinked groggily at his younger brother. "Huh?"

The suit of armor that housed his brother's soul was jumping up and down in extreme excitement. "I have a baby toaster growing inside me, Nii-san! Look, you can even see its progression. It just grew its on/off button," he explained in a rush, opening his chest plate for Ed to see. "And I know it'll grow to be strong and shiny because the umbilical cord makes sure it's getting the energy it needs to function properly once it can rest on a kitchen counter all by itself!" He gushed about the umbilical cord ensuring his toaster's proper functions, all the while gesturing to the wire and plug that was supposed to connect to the wall.

Edward did not even want to know how that thing connected to his baby brother.


	7. Torturous Elaborations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning that this is the torture chapter, involving physical and psychological trauma. Violence. Rape. Heed the tags. That scene at the end will be set apart by an extra long -+-+-+-+- so you can skip that section if you so choose.

Roy gulped. The experiments the homunculus had spoken of hadn't even begun, and he was already feeling miserable. He was still tied down, the tight knots of the rope making it impossible for him to move; to be sure, he tried to struggle, but it didn't amount to much except to thrill the shape-shifter in front of him.

Envy, as Edward, turned to make sure Hakuro's back was still turned. When he was sure of their privacy, he smirked, the cold gleam in golden eyes reminding Roy that this _thing_ was most definitely not his lover. The homunculus sadistically smiled, slowly leaning forward as he took in the sight of the Flame Colonel thrashing against his bonds. The kiss was fast and rough and entirely intrusive.

The Flame struggled even more at being manhandled, but Envy kept at it, pressing further against the incapacitated alchemist. Once the shape-shifter drew back, Roy immediately tried to spit, gagging at the thought of kissing anyone but his own Edward. Envy glared, yanking the other's lips against his as another reminder, increasing the psychological torture as he plundered Roy's mouth.

"Remember," Envy whispered throatily, voice uncannily like Ed's, "that you're _mine_ now to do whatever I want with. Be a good toy while I'm gone, because I'd _hate_ to have to _punish_ you for misbehaving." With the warning uttered, he licked his lips in an exaggerated fashion, brushing one fake automail hand against Roy's crotch. The Flame Alchemist stiffened, eyes widening with the motion, as Envy shifted back to resemble the store clerk.

'She' left, shooting a smirk over her shoulder as General Hakuro led her from the interrogation room. Leaving Roy Mustang very much alone, except for the stirrings of arousal deep in his belly. Fuck, he _knew_ it wasn't Edward. But he missed Ed, and to have someone that looked like him be interested, if even for all the wrong reasons, his body couldn't help but respond. Add sexual torture to the psychological torture. And with the experiments soon to come.

Roy Mustang, pregnant alchemist genius extraordinaire, was screwed.

-+-

"Edward, you're from Central City, right?" Rose asked at dinner the next day. The blonde had been acting oddly around her, strangely wary of revealing too much information on any given subject. It wasn't like he suspected anything of her, right? He already knew she was behind the large-scale rebellion that was going to be put into effect against the Amestris military.

The alchemist shook his head, noisily chewing his food. Swallowing, he answered curtly, "No, I'm from Resembool."

"Of course," Rose said quickly, clasping her hands. "I knew that."

Ed tilted his head at her, one golden eye peering at her suspiciously. "I never told you that, Rose."

Responding to the implied question, the young woman informed, "But Alphonse did."

Cursing to himself, the Fullmetal shot her a warning glare. She was right; he hadn't trapped her with that question. During the Elrics' first visit to Liore, Al _had_ told Rose their life history. He had to think of something else, something that would confirm his doubts as to the sanctity of Rose's character. "Why did you ask?" Ed wondered, referring to the question of his origin.

"Oh, I was thinking you could help with the invasion, that's all."

"Dammit, Rose, _no_!" the blonde thundered, standing up and knocking over his chair in his haste. "I'm not taking part in your rebellion, okay? There is going to _be_ no rebellion. You can't risk peoples' lives like this! You have to reconsider! At least give it a bit of time so I can show you that there's another way."

Rose sighed. "Edward, time is crucial. It's for the people's lives that I'm doing this."

-+-

"Thank you for sharing such fundamental information with the military, Miss," General Hakuro said gratefully, bowing to what he assumed to be the maternity store clerk.

Envy paused before slipping into the role, turning to the military official with wide eyes and gushing, "Oh! It was no problem. I'm glad to have done a valued service for my country. I'm so glad I could be of help!" _Moron._

The General nodded, beaming. "Yes, you've helped us capture Roy Mustang. An amazing feat! And one definitely appreciated at that. Is there anything we can do for you at the moment?"

"No, I just have a couple things I simply must do right now," 'she' explained in a rush, hurrying off down the halls of Central Headquarters.

Hakuro stared after 'her,' perplexed.

-+-

Riza Hawkeye raised her head in relief as the door opened. It had been about three quarters of an hour since the Colonel had left for his walk, and she was beginning to get more than a bit anxious. "Sir…?" she started to ask, frowning as she noticed Havoc and Fuery walk through the door, Mustang nowhere in sight. "Where's the Colonel?" she demanded, eyes narrowing with worry.

"Aren't we supposed to be asking you that question?" Havoc shot back, shrugging. "Dunno, haven't seen him. Why? You're supposed to be watching over him, remember?"

The blond woman frowned deeply, too upset to rise to the bait and indulge in childish fighting. "We need to find him. Mustang went for a walk to sort out his thoughts. He should have been back by now."

"No need, I'm right here," a familiar voice called, preceding the entry of the man of whom they had been speaking. "I'm sorry to have worried you, Lieutenant," he apologized, bowing deeply in her direction. "I had more on my mind than I thought," he offered by way of explanation, lifting his head in his usual cocky manner.

"Colonel," all three subordinates breathed, letting the tension ebb from their shoulder blades.

Mustang smirked, uttering, "It doesn't take much for you guys, does it?" over his shoulder as he approached his private office.

-+-

"So, how's the Colonel?" Al asked, a bit hesitantly as he shuffled from one foot to the other in front of Hawkeye's desk.

The blond Lieutenant smiled at him reassuringly. "He's fine, Alphonse. He's holding up as well as can be expected. We were rather worried today when he went out for a long walk, but it turned out he was just too caught up in his own thoughts. He's perfectly all right."

The younger Elric nodded, letting a small smile slip onto his features. "Oh, good. Winry and I were a bit worried about him. Thank you for looking after him at the office, Lieutenant Hawkeye." That was Alphonse, ever cordial and respectful to his elders. Even older people who insisted they were family and could do without the formalities.

"Of course, Alphonse," Riza answered back. "Why don't you go get the Colonel? He's resting in his office at the moment. He's free to go home for the day."

Al nodded and strode over to Mustang's office, quietly pushing the door open. "Colonel Mustang? Roy?" he called, stepping further into the room. "It's Al; I've come to take you home."

-+-

Roy strained against the rope binding him to the chair. He was all alone; Hakuro hadn't come back to check on him. Nor had the shape-shifter. It was just him and the chair. The rope cut into his wrists as he tried to yank free, but he only succeeded in further hurting himself as compared to the longed-for freedom.

He needed his gloves. He needed his gloves, and he needed Edward.

-+-

"I…Winry and I are real sorry about this morning," Al said quietly on the way home. His companion tilted his head at him, a confused expression on his face, inviting the younger Elric to continue talking. "We didn't mean to make you feel guilty. I mean, it's in the past, and we're all family now. I don't want there to be a rift in our family, Roy. Especially with Brother gone for the time-being, the rest of us need to stick together."

 _'We' had a fight this morning?_ "Easy there, Alphonse. Apology accepted." _For whatever you screwed up on._

Al breathed a tremendous sigh of relief, offering a wavering smile to the dark-haired man walking alongside him. "Don't worry, Roy. Ed will come home to you."

 _If he comes home to this form unsuspecting, then it's an easy trap. Even if the Old Man is in hiding, killing his eldest son will be just as pleasurable._ "I know," he said simply.

The younger Elric peered at him for a long moment before repeating himself. "We really are sorry if we upset you. We both know Ishbal is a touchy subject, especially…" he trailed off, shrugging in a 'you know' gesture.

 _Ishbal? What does Ishbal have to do with anything anymore?_ "Al," he said, gently but firmly. "I know, and you're forgiven. Give it a rest already." Noticing the saddened look on the younger's face, he mentally berated himself. _Mustang would never be so cold to his lover's brother. Better fix this. It's a great thing he's so gullible._ "I'm sorry; I just have a lot on my mind. I didn't mean to lash out at you, Al."

"That's understandable," the teen remarked, always ready to forgive for the sake of peace. "And when we get home, Winry wants to talk with you privately, if that's all right?"

A nod, and quickened steps.

-+-

Edward scowled, glancing about the desert city of Liore. Locating the head of operations hadn't been hard. Too easy, actually. The hard part came in _doing_ something about it. It wasn't as if he could just whip out his automail and take down the corrupt person in charge of it all. It wasn't like he could rely on the leader's dimwitted thoughts of revenge to backfire. It wasn't like he could manipulate the town to turn on the person who inspired such hope for rebellion and future freedom. It wasn't…because…

It was _Rose_.

But it _wasn't_ Rose.

The Rose Edward knew was not into violence. The Rose Edward knew was kind-hearted and thoughtful, caring and witty. Broken but repaired. She would never sacrifice the lives of innocents in what they all knew to be an inevitable bloodbath. Rose wanted peace, for sure, but the Rose Edward knew would not have gone about obtaining it through warfare.

The blonde sighed, warily climbing to his feet as dim golden eyes searched for the one in charge of Liore's latest uprising. His enemy. His friend. Straining his ears, he caught muffled sounds from elsewhere in the house, punctuated by long stretches of silence. Ed followed the sounds, peering through the crack of a slightly opened door only to see Rose on the phone.

"So, you've caught him, have you?" she was saying, something in the tone of her voice alien to the Fullmetal. "Well, of course you should move him! Can't have _you_ getting caught holding him captive! Yes, I know it's dangerous. But listen. My troops are almost ready to move in on Central. I'll send an official warning sometime in the next few days. Find somewhere isolated to hide. That's an order. I can't have my best puppet getting caught up in the attack, can I? Just be sure to hide our _latest interest_ ,as well." With that last order, she let the phone drop, signaling the end of the conversation.

Edward was left with new things to ponder as he swiftly fled the scene, his mind mulling over this new information. Who was Rose interested in, and who had she caught? No, who had her 'greatest puppet' captured?

-+-

"Fuhrer, Sir, what do you wish me to do with Mustang? He's currently tied-up in the interrogation rooms downstairs. Would you like me to fetch him for you?" the General asked, saluting the head of the country.

Bradley offered one of his reassuring smiles and slowly shook his head. "No General, that will not be necessary. I will head down to see him personally. Alone. I don't need an escort; Mustang's unable to move, remember? Let me have me way with him."

Hakuro started at the last sentence, a mild blush rising to his cheek at the image conjured in his mind. "Y-yes, Sir," he stammered, bowing. It wasn't his job to question the Fuhrer. Men in the military were granted a sort of leeway in certain moral standings, the leader especially. If Bradley wanted to, then he could do whatever he wanted to Mustang's body. Hakuro just couldn't imagine _anybody_ doing _that_ with the Flame, though apparently, the Fullmetal pipsqueak enjoyed it a great deal.

"It's not what you're thinking," Bradley chuckled. "I have a wife and kid."

The General was about to point out that the Fuhrer's assurances didn't mean a thing; many married men reaped the spoils of war. Not that it was war, but the same concept applied to wanted men and prisoners - at least if one was high enough on the military ladder to get away with such things. But then he remembered that mouthing off to the man who controlled everyone and everything in Amestris would not be a smart idea. "Understood, Sir."

"You're free for the evening, General," Fuhrer Bradley dismissed his underling, waving towards the door.

"But-!"

A silent sigh was heaved as Bradley said again, with a slight edge to his voice, "You're free to go, General Hakuro." He waited until the retreating footsteps faded in the distance before grinning to himself. "This is falling together too perfectly. Where's Envy? I have a job for him."

-+-

"Roy!"

Al stopped at the forceful tone of his wife, staring oddly as his companion continued to move as if never acknowledging the call. Which was weird, because it was his attention Winry was seeking. "Um, Roy?" Al called, tapping the man's shoulder. "Winry would like to have a word with you, remember?"

The older man paused, looking down at Al, before nodding slowly. "Oh, right. I'll be inside waiting," he promised, brushing past the blond woman standing in the doorway and continuing straight ahead - which, luckily, just so happened to lead him to the living room.

"He's been spacing out real bad," the younger Elric confided to his wife in a hushed whisper. "I'm worried about him."

Winry sighed as well, turning around to stare in the direction Roy had disappeared. "I'll talk to him." Her husband hummed in his throat before heading upstairs, leaving the other two to themselves. The young woman stared into space for a long moment, gathering the courage to talk to her brother-in-law's lover.

After long minutes spent gathering her composure, Winry Rockbell Elric strode with confidence to the living room, stopping to clutch at a small photograph along the way. "Roy," she said yet again, this time earning the man's attention. She faltered then, taking a deep breath before sinking into a couch opposite the other. "I know this is going to be…difficult," the blonde said, slowly testing her words.

"Isn't everything?" her companion asked. "Nothing's ever simple. If such was the case, life would be too easy. Too boring." _I love causing complications._

The young woman only stared at him. "I think you're missing the point. I know for a fact that you'd prefer 'boring' to 'regret.' At least, you are if you're the man I've come to know and appreciate."

_If, indeed._

Winry continued, heedless of the other's mental smirk as he laughed inside as she fumbled for words. "I mean, I know we've never really spoken of _it_ before…but we've both known it. It's no use trying to run from the truth, right? I…I can't say I _forgive_ you for what you did…for what you did to my parents…but I can at least try to understand your position, Roy." She stopped, a sob hitching in her throat as she gazed at the photograph held lovingly in her hands. "They…my mom and dad…they were the greatest people in the world. They treated everyone, regardless of what side of the war you were on. And I know that by saving the lives of the Ishbalans, they were putting themselves at risk. The military was bound to step in to put a stop to it all; it's just a cruel twist of luck that the murderer of my parents ended up being my brother-in-law's _partner_."

_Ah, she's talking about the Rockbell doctors. Yes, they were a nuisance, hindering Master's plans by keeping human lives from adding to the Stone's power. So, Mustang's the one who executed them? Interesting. Very interesting._

The man only nodded in response, not having a clue what to say in this situation.

Winry glared at him through her tears. "Don't you have anything to say? I'm…I'm so confused…I don't know what to feel towards you anymore. You obviously make Ed so happy, but you robbed me of my parents. My childhood. And I know you were young; you were a soldier following direct orders during wartime. But that still doesn't make it okay! And I know you hate yourself for doing it, which is the only reason I can tolerate you, even mildly like you sometimes. Regardless of whether I want it or not, you've become a part of this family. _Edward_ made you a part of this family. And I can't spend my entire life hating you because of that."

"What's your point with all this?" the older asked, a bland tone lacing his voice. "I see no reason why you're bringing this all up now." _Whine, whine, whine. So 'I' killed your parents. What's the big idea that you have to go flapping your mouth with that unbecoming complaining? Blah, blah, blah…I'm going to get all emotional because I'm talking to the man who killed my parents…yap, yap, yap…why don't you do something useful and shut the hell up?_

"Don't you _care_?" Winry shrieked, throwing a potted plant at his head. "I...because…at breakfast this morning, I said something I shouldn't have. I didn't mean to remind you of something you already hate yourself for, especially when you're already upset because of Ed's absence. I made you feel guilty; it was wrong of me. I was going to apologize, but since you're obviously not affected…since you don't give a damn…you don't deserve it! You don't deserve forgiveness!" With that final shout, she slammed the picture on the coffee-table and practically ran from the room in tears. Probably seeking the comfort of Alphonse's arms.

Once alone, Roy's form snatched the picture, a malicious smirk curling his lip as he recognized the people in the photograph. Doctor and Sara Rockbell. Apparently, their deaths were Roy Mustang's greatest regrettable mistake. What an interesting time he could have with this…

-+-

"What took you so long?" Pride demanded once Envy slunk into a dark corner of the Fuhrer's office.

The shape-shifter pouted, "Why must you always spoil my surprises?" He walked farther into the room, not looking at his fellow homunculus as he answered, "I had to cover our tracks, so to speak. Why? Do you have more orders from our Master?"

Pride made no move to respond for a few moments. "More or less," he finally concluded. "We have to ship Mustang out of Central. I have to go into hiding, too. Our Master's rebellion is going to be put into effect soon, and it has to look like I'm concerned for my safety; which would explain why I'm not at Central Headquarters during the time of attack. She will send an official notice soon, and the media can have a field day with news of the coming attack. You know she'll try to make it as public as possible so as to involve more people. More lives. But not ours."

"So, you want to know of a safe place to hide?" Envy asked, tilting his head as he thought. "Well, Lab Five is out of the question. There are already enough suspicions about that place as it is. Liore is the center of operations; it wouldn't do if you were to head there. There are some abandoned warehouses down South, in a place near Dublith. You'd be near Master's old house in case anything went wrong."

"South?" Pride repeated, stroking his chin. "Why, yes. That just might work. And Mustang?"

Envy lifted his head in a superior manner and grinned, sounding a promise of, "Leave it to me."

-+-

"Alphonse, what's wrong?" Winry asked, rushing over to where her husband sat at the breakfast table, reading the Central Times.

The younger Elric had gone white, fingers clutching the newspaper. "Brother…" he whispered, eyes going a bit vacant. "They're coming to Central, Winry. Brother…he was…unsuccessful…"

Winry gasped, looking over Al's shoulder to read the headline. **New Eastern Rebellion Threatens to Attack Central.** "Al, it's only been a few days since Ed left. It takes time to stop these things. And Ed's always been able to hold his own. Don't worry."

"The Colonel must have known," Al muttered, not noticing how Winry's face darkened at the mere mention of the older man. "He always knows these things before anyone else does. I suppose that's why he went to Headquarters early this morning."

"What do you mean?"

Al looked at Winry, surprised. "He's gone, haven't you noticed?"

-+-

Roy was surprised when he opened his eyes, his sight informing him that he was on a train, his sense of touch telling him that he was still tightly bound. How did he get from the interrogations room of the military to a storage compartment of a moving train?

"Ah, our pregnant prisoner is awake at last," breathed an eerily familiar voice in his ear from behind. "Amazing how one's defensive reflexes don't work when one is strapped to a chair. But no harm done; you're alive. Even if your head may be quite a bit sore."

The raven-haired man sighed. "What is it you want with me, and where the hell are we going?"

"Such a temper!" Envy exclaimed. "If you speak to me like that, I'm not sure I'll tell you anything. Though, you have been a good boy by not screaming for help. I do hope you realize that if you attempt such foolishness, I won't hesitate to stab a knife into your lower belly, even if it means defying my Master's orders."

Visibly paling, Roy shook the image from his brain. He was a fairly good negotiator. "What," he said again, with a stronger feeling to his words, "do you want with me?"

The homunculus cackled and walked around to the front of Roy's chair. "I told you, Flame Colonel. You're of tremendous value to our Master. As to what exactly she intends to do with you, I wouldn't know. I can only assure you that it won't be pleasant, but don't worry. I'll be there to make you _feel better_."

Again, Roy shivered. "And where are we going?"

"To a place where no one will find us. Can't have you getting rescued by your blond knight with his automail lance now, can we?"

"I think it's safe to tell him where we're going. After all, it's not like he could escape once we reach our destination," interrupted a new voice. One equally familiar to Roy, though for very different reasons.

"Fuhrer Bradley!" he gasped, dark eyes widening as the country's leader quietly stepped into the train compartment. "How…what are you…" he tried, not grasping the words he needed with which to express his incredulity.

Envy shook his head, holding back a gleeful smile, as the man with the eye-patch corrected the invalid: "From now on, Roy Mustang, you may call me Pride."

The Flame Colonel's astonishment clearly showed on his face. "But…you can't be…" he whispered, bracing himself to say, "…a homunculus."

-+-

The injury to Mustang's head, coupled with shock, knocked the consciousness clear from his mind. So by the time the trio reached Dublith, the only man among them was unaware of his surroundings. It wasn't long before the rest of the train was unloaded, deeming it safe for the homunculi to drag the bound man into the shadows and slowly make their way to the outskirts of town.

"I could always walk through the streets and distract everyone's attention," the Fuhrer murmured.

Envy shook his head. "That would defeat the purpose. The official reason you left Central was to go into hiding. If you purposely draw attention to yourself, that's doing the opposite of what Master wants."

"But if it's for the greater purpose of making sure Mustang is safely stashed away, then I'm sure…"

The older homunculus snarled. "Just because you're the goddamned Fuhrer doesn't mean you make the decisions around here, got it? I do."

Pride frowned. Normally, he would have some sharp remark to counter Envy's attitude, but at the moment, it wouldn't do for Envy to lose control. Not when he was following Master's orders by 'taking care' of the pregnant, male alchemist.

-+-

Edward sighed, thinking over possible strategies. He refused to use force on his longtime friend, and talking and negotiating didn't seem to be helping matters. And always, constantly, behind thoughts of his mission, he longed for Roy and Alphonse. His lover and little brother. He often caught his mind trailing to thoughts of them. It actually hadn't been so long since he'd left, but it seemed like an eternity since he'd last seen their faces, hands waving him off at the train station.

And he still couldn't piece together Rose's phone conversation from yesterday. He had acted like nothing had happened; not giving away the fact that he had been eavesdropping. Rose had said nothing, had given no indication that she knew he'd heard anything at all.

And she was still unrelenting about the rebellion.

Still, the Fullmetal Alchemist had never gotten anywhere by giving up. So slowly, cautiously, he ventured to the room where, only yesterday, he'd listened to her issue some odd commands to an unknown personage.

Rose was there, again on the phone. "South? You're in the South, safely? And you brought _him_? Excellent. Once you have him tied down, you will execute the next stage of my plan. You know what I want done. Do it properly." She firmly placed the phone back on its holder, turning to Edward before he could make a run for it. "Friends, you know? They mess up on purpose to annoy you."

Ed glared. "They sound more like servants than friends to me."

"In a way, they are," Rose answered, shrugging. "Friends and servants. Synonymous. Different names for the same human relationships that have existed for hundreds and hundreds of years."

"That's not true!" Ed protested, deeply unnerved by the girl's views. "You are not the Rose I know."

Rose tilted her head. "People change, Edward Elric. Sometimes literally."

-+-

"He went in early, maybe he stayed late," Winry suggested, trying to convince Al to stay at home. Er, well, _his_ home. The Elric-Rockbells were just staying there indefinitely.

Alphonse shook his head. "Not this late, Winry. It's ten at night. He wouldn't go out drinking after work; he knows better. He's been very good at doing what's best for the baby since he found out…well, you know. And besides, I made a promise to my brother. I _have_ to go check on Mustang. And make sure he's all right."

Winry sniffed, shaking her head to hide her watering eyes. "He can take care of himself, Alphonse. I understand why you feel you need to, but it _is_ late. And I don't want you walking about by yourself. Especially now that you're flesh and blood…and vulnerable."

Her companion stared at her. "You're just upset with him, Winry. You can't stand the thought of him living in the same house; you feel more at ease when Mustang's not here. All because of that fight you had…"

"Are you saying I'm not justified in my feelings?" Winry shot back. "All this time, I could get along with him by thinking that he learned from it and _regretted_ it…my parents…but now that I know he doesn't _care_ …he doesn't care, Al, not at all…and you're saying I should be comfortable living under the roof of my parents' murderer?"

Alphonse's features softened as he held out his arms. "Oh, Winry," he murmured as he enclosed her in his embrace. "You know he's aching for Brother. I'm sure he didn't mean it."

"But he did," Winry sniffled into his shirt. "He meant it, if you could have just seen the cold look in his eyes…Al, I just want you near me…can't you understand? I don't want to lose you, too! I don't want you to go looking for him. I don't want you to escort him home…so late at night…in the darkness…alone."

The young man sighed. "I made a promise, Winry. I can't break it. Come with me?"

Silent a moment, Winry finally nodded against his chest, just the barest acknowledgment of her husband's question.

-+-

"Well, well, if it isn't the Fullmetal pipsqueak's younger brother and his wife. It's hard to recognize you, without the armor," came a slow, sultry voice from the shadows of Central, putting a sort of emphasis on the last three words. Not many people could connect the current form of Alphonse Elric with the giant suit of armor that housed his soul for years following the failed human transmutation.

"Armor tasty!" chimed in another familiar voice, causing chills to run down the Elric's spine. In a corner of his mind, he gave thanks that he could feel his body responding to fear.

Lust shook her head as she stepped out into the moonlight. "Don't worry about him. He's not going to eat that flesh body your brother worked so hard to reclaim." Al couldn't be sure, but it seemed there was a mocking tone underlying supposed sincerity.

"What do you want?" Winry shouted, clutching onto Al's arm.

The voluptuous homunculus let out a low chuckle. "We don't want anything from _you_ , little girl. Everything is running smoothly in the East, and our Master needs someone stationed in Central. Since Envy ran off to the South with our Master's latest interest, Gluttony and I volunteered for the job. Of course, since the Fullmetal brat destroyed Greed so many years ago; and Sloth and Wrath _mysteriously_ disappeared, right around the time of your new body, might I add, we're the only ones available for the job. We had some business with the newspaper print here in Central anyway."

Shivering, the two teens took a few steps back. "Why are you telling us this?" Al gulped, ignoring the reference to his flesh body.

"Eat!" answered Gluttony, always only having food on his mind.

Lust laughed again and examined her nails which, as Al recalled, could become deadly spears if necessary. "No reason, really. Just thought it would make things interesting. After all, with your beloved older brother in Liore, and your brother's beloved being captured more than two days ago, you must be feeling _so_ confused…" she finished with sarcastic pity, fading back into the darkness, leaving two very flabbergasted Elrics behind.

-+-

Roy's stomach grumbled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten in days. And here he was supposed to be eating healthily for the baby's sake! If the homunculi wanted him alive to do experiments on, then surely they must know humans needed food and drink to survive.

As if in answer to his prayers, though the alchemist would deny ever 'praying,' Envy appeared before him with a loaf of bread and a cup of water. "Oh, you'll wish you were dead by the time we're through with you," the shape-shifter laughed. "But not yet, Mustang. Drink up."

Throat parched, Roy eagerly let his neck fall back, encouraging the homunculus to pour the water into his mouth. When the drink hit his tongue, he gagged, trying to spit it out but managing to swallow some in the process. "That's not water," he rasped.

"No, it's not," Envy agreed, stuffing the bread into the alchemist's open mouth to muffle his questions.

-+-

Edward gaped at her, mouth hanging open. "What do you mean by that?"

"You mean your father never told you?"

The blonde held back a growl. How did Rose know his father? "I can't remember a time when he's told me anything," he said bitterly. "The bastard ran out on us, remember? Since you know everything about my life…because Al told you…"

The young woman stared at him in amusement. "But you're not going to run out on your kid. You're too honorable for that."

"You're right! I'd never leave Roy or our child - wait! I never told you…how did you…?" Ed gasped, frightened about just _what_ Rose knew. There were so many mysteries surrounding her, and Ed couldn't make head or tail of them.

Rose faked a sigh. "Ah, Ed. You can find out anything if you have the proper…connections."

"You mean servants," Ed spat. "Who keeps you informed?"

A small smile curved her lip. "Well, naturally, I had some very trustworthy _friends_ stationed in Central because of the rebellion. And because I was waiting for a certain person to come out of hiding. But then I received news, only a few days ago, about an interesting new development. One you helped to create, if I remember correctly."

"You still haven't answered my question," Ed countered, willing the heavy blush to leave his face.

"Why must humans always get caught up in the specifics?" Rose asked, rolling her eyes to the ceiling. "They're not important, Edward. Please, forget this conversation ever happened. I still need your help."

Ed glared at her. "I'm not helping you put people in danger."

-+-

"If Mustang was captured more than two days ago, then that means…that night I talked to him…" Winry gasped, trying to figure things aloud.

Al finished for her with, "It wasn't Roy. Just someone who looked like him."

Winry sighed, tears leaking at the corners of her eyes. "And all those things I said about him…"

"You didn't know any better," Al shushed her, hugging her. "But this means that Roy's in danger. And that shape-shifter homunculus Envy had us fooled until he left -"

"South," Winry finished. "I don't know much about this 'Envy,' but if you've dealt with him in the past…"

Alphonse tightened his hold on her. "It means danger."

-+-

"At the moment, Master just wants to see how his body reacts to Red Water," Pride reminded the other harshly. "She doesn't want to lure any scientists here yet. We wait, just as we were instructed to do."

Envy snarled. "Don't tell me what to do. I wish I was back in Central to be away from your so-called orders."

"Aw, did you want to find your daddy?" Pride daringly asked, getting thrown across the room for his cheek.

The other homunculus huffed and went to force some more Red Water down the Flame Colonel's throat. "Master said no scientists to experiment on him, but she said nothing about psychological torture." He always managed to find a loophole so as to carry on with his own agenda.

-+-

"Hughes?" Roy rasped, black eyes focusing intently on the form of his dead best friend.

The other man smiled crookedly, untying the bound man and maneuvering him to an old cot to lie down on. "Roy," he breathed, leaning down closer to the other's face. "If only I'd have known…"

"Known what?" Roy asked, too attentive to his friend to notice how he was being tied down. Again.

The green-eyed man smirked. "Why, that you could bear children, of course. It took an Elric to do the impossible. But you know, Roy, Ed would never have been entered into the equation if I had accepted you after Ishbal. I know you were heartbroken when I rejected you, but I knew Gracia could provide me the family I wanted."

The Flame nearly quaked. "Maes," he managed, swallowing thickly. "That was a long time ago. I'm in love with Edward now."

"But Edward's not here at the moment, and I am," his companion answered before leaning down swiftly to claim Roy's lips.

-+-

Rose tapped her fingers on the wooden table, looking over at her 'guest.' Things had been awkward between them after he stormed out the previous day, but she knew the elder Elric had a quick temper. She supposed she was thankful Hohenheim had never had a chance to explain to his sons about the wide possibilities of the Philosopher's Stone. Otherwise, Ed would have understood the implications.

As it was, the Fullmetal Alchemist was simply very confused. One who knows nothing can understand nothing. 

"I suppose I can hold off on the rebellion…" she started, earning his attention. "Only for a few weeks, though." _Then I can see where the Mustang experiment leads._

Almost reluctantly, but as if he was afraid of losing even this small compromise, Edward nodded his head.

-+-

"What do we do?" Winry asked, pacing the floor. "We know Envy's in the South, and he probably brought Roy there, too."

"Unless Lust was just trying to confuse us and set us down the wrong path," Al interjected, his head in his hands. "We could be wasting our time. I'd normally suggest we round up Mustang's team and split up, but General Hakuro is still at Central Headquarters. He'd never let them go; he's probably keeping an even stricter eye on them than before."

His wife sighed and sank into an armchair. "Damn," she swore. "Then, what do we do?"

Al thought a moment before lifting his head. "You," he instructed, voice firm, "are going to stay here. And I am going to tell Brother. If anybody can find Roy and free him, then it's Brother."

Winry ferociously shook her head. "I'm not letting you go into the midst of a war zone!"

"I know it's dangerous, but it's something I have to do! And someone has to stay in Central in case anything else bad happens here. I'll call Gracia and ask her if you can live there while I'm gone. You know Elysia's grown rather fond of you."

Winry's fists clenched by her sides in defiance for a long moment before gradually relaxing. "I understand," she said in reluctant acceptance. "I do, Al, I do. I just don't want to let you go. But I love you, and I trust you."

A weak smile showed on Alphonse's face. "I love you, too, Winry," he answered, kissing her immediately afterwards.

-+-

The people of Liore were angry at the delay. The roiling mass of outraged rebels yelled their frustration, threatening to break into premature violence should their leader not change her mind. They had planned for three years; they were ready to take down Central Headquarters.

Rose held up a hand for silence. "It's only for a few weeks. I have people stationed in Central to inform me of goings-on in the capital. As the Fullmetal Alchemist has said, we should not be too hasty in our decisions. And though we've been planning for years, we have not stopped to think about our actions. Now is the time for reflection. Soon, we attack!"

Edward frowned. He had a few weeks to act, but that was better than nothing. He couldn't complain. And still, there were no signs of Hakuro's lackeys hidden in the city. Maybe he was wrong in his assumption that the General would be sure to cause him trouble away from home, or maybe they felt he had enough on his hands dealing with Rose. Whatever the case, Ed was glad he had only Rose and the rebellion to worry about.

-+-

"The Chief? Kidnapped?" Havoc asked, his cigarette falling out of his mouth at the news. "And even Hawkeye didn't notice?"

The First Lieutenant shot him a glare.

Al sputtered, raising his hands for peace and silence. "It's nobody's fault! I didn't notice either." The younger Elric had called an impromptu meeting, bringing together Mustang's crew, the Hughes family, himself, and his wife. "I'm going to get Brother. Then we can figure out what to do to save the Colonel."

"And his baby," Riza said softly.

Gracia fell out of her seat. " _What_?" Elysia giggled; her mother looked so funny on the floor, with her face all scrunched up!

"Oh, that's right! I knew we were forgetting someone," Al said brightly. "Gracia, Roy's pregnant with my brother's kid! Don't ask how; it's a long story. Don't worry about it."

Mrs. Hughes, or Ms. by this point, fainted dead away.

-+-

"I think he's getting used to the Red Water," Pride observed, watching as Mustang obediently opened his mouth and swallowed the liquidized Red Stone.

Envy cackled. "His mind's become fuzzy, that's all. Oh, I do so love torturing him! And I have just the idea to work with!"

The Fuhrer looked at him, waiting for him to elaborate.

The older homunculus simply shook his head and smiled evilly to himself. "They say the past comes back to haunt you," he said quietly, making Pride curious.

-+-

"I'm sorry, trains have stopped going to Liore. This is the farthest you can get by train. If you want to reach Liore from here, you'll have to go on foot. Sorry, kid," explained the conductor, tipping his hat.

Al stared in disbelief. "You mean because of the rebellion? Shouldn't the military be sending soldiers to contain the uprising? You know, by train?"

The conductor shrugged. "I don't know how the military works, kid. All I know is that all tracks out East have been temporarily shut down. Fuhrer's orders."

"But the Fuhrer left Central for safety purposes!" Al cried out.

"Does that mean he can't have a say in the way his country's run?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow. "Look, I'm sorry. But there is no way you're getting to Liore by train. If you want to get there so badly, start walking. I doubt you'll find any remaining people here to give you a ride. All those who wanted to join the rebellion left weeks ago. Anybody who stuck to his hometown doesn't want anything to do with that cursed city. Wish ya luck, kid," the conductor said, turning his back on Al.

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

"Well, well, if it isn't Major Roy Mustang," spoke a bitter voice, cutting through the air like a whip. "Oh wait, it's Colonel now, isn't it? It's despicable how murdering cowards like you are actually _rewarded_ for your war-crimes. Then again, the military is in control, and you're one of their favorite dogs." A snort. "Or maybe that's just a biased opinion since, you know, _you_ were the one who pulled the trigger on me…"

Roy struggled to raise his head, thoughts and memories and excuses swirling in his sluggish brain. _It can't be…_

"You were the reason I never got to see my little girl grow up. And you didn't even spare my _wife_. You're…I can't even think of a word horrible enough to describe you," the man spat, approaching Roy with a condemning look on his face. "How could you? How could you blindly follow orders and _kill_ innocent people? And not only us, but all the countless cities of Ishbalans you so willingly burned! And you actually think you deserve salvation? After what you've _done_?"

The pregnant man blinked back tears, all the while cursing his hormones and his past. "I know it would be a cheap mockery to say 'I'm sorry,'" he whispered, swallowing thickly. "But I can't think of anything else that would be proper or appropriate to say in this situation…am I in Hell?" he wondered as an afterthought, tugging a bit at his chains. He let out a harsh chuckle immediately afterwards, letting his eyes slip closed so as to block the sight of the doctor he had mercilessly killed. "What am I thinking? Of course I am."

The doctor smiled sardonically, pleased with himself for arousing such guilt and self-hatred in the test subject strapped down, laid out deliciously in front of him. "At least you're thinking clearly enough to realize where you are. Exactly where you belong. You can just call me Doctor Rockbell, Roy, and I'll get around to giving you your… _treatment_ …"

Roy shuddered as the older man exposed him; he had never liked going to the doctor. To be fair, his last couple visits were only memorable in the horrific sense. "St…stop," he managed, his voice coming out weak; whether the weakness was physically or psychologically induced, Roy had no idea.

Doctor Rockbell smirked at Roy's uncomfortable position. "Just do as I say and you'll be fine when you wake up, Flame Colonel."

Said Flame Colonel's eyes widened as his attention was drawn to a large surgical knife in the male Rockbell's hand. "What?"

"I thought you were into kinky," the doctor said suggestively. "I thought you liked trying new things. Isn't that why you switched to men? You have to have been with a guy…you're pregnant, aren't you? Fascinating discovery to a doctor like me! It's just too bad that I _died_ while you unfairly got to live. But now you're getting your due, Flame Colonel, and I'm getting my revenge. And who said revenge can't be _fun_ on the side?"

Roy's eyes rolled back into his head as he blacked out from the overwhelming feelings he was experiencing in his weak state; when he awoke, he felt dirty and violated. Had he not been tied down, he would have rolled into a fetal position, all the while claiming it was for the baby's protection. How could the baby be after all this torture? Roy didn't know if he could handle any more bad news.

"I'm so sorry for my husband's actions," a low, calming voice murmured in his ear, distracting Roy from his wandering thoughts. Mostly about Edward. "I know you can understand where he's coming from, Colonel. It is Colonel now, right? I'd hate to get some of my facts wrong…"

Roy blinked, clearly confused as to where the woman had come from. "Excuse me?" he choked.

"I'm Sara Rockbell, if you couldn't remember. I could understand if you didn't; after all, it looks like you've been through a _lot_ since Ishbal," she introduced herself, letting a smooth hand run lightly across his taut stomach - and lower.

The Flame choked again, his voice catching in his throat.

The brunet woman sighed good-naturedly and smiled at him. "Let me make it up to you. I know you must feel very…dirty… after what my husband did to you. So why don't I make you feel more like a man?" she suggested, her own voice low and enticing to Mustang's half-conscious mind. "Don't bother with the formal 'Doctor' title. You can just call me Sara. Our pasts have been rather intimate, wouldn't you say?" she asked, laughing lightly.

"How…?" Roy started to ask, not knowing whether to finish with: _can you not hate me? can you ever forgive me? can you betray your husband like this? And why are you doing this to me?_

"Oh, surely you know how our pasts have…intertwined…together so closely. You can't have forgotten that much, right, Colonel? When you kill someone, it binds you to that person. That's why we're close. Silly Flame Colonel," Sara answered, a chuckle still lacing her tone. "And now why don't we skip the formalities and get right down to it? Since you're strapped down, it will make things difficult to give you the thrill you, as a man, desire. But don't worry. You'll still be the _insert-er,_ so to speak, and I promise to ride you well," she said smirking. "It's been a long time since you've felt at home, _enclosed_ by warmth, hasn't it? Oh, but if it's too embarrassing for you to admit, I can understand that, too."

The Flame only stared, not knowing what to say anymore.

Sara reached up to tantalizingly undo a couple buttons at the top of her outfit; it was then Roy realized that was wearing a nurse's outfit. Why not a doctor's robe? As if sensing his question, Mrs. Rockbell explained, "It fits the purpose more, does it not? I've often found it sexier to wear little nurse's outfits to gain men's attention. Isn't that one of men's favorite kinks?"

Dumbly, Roy only nodded, not really knowing what he was nodding to. But his body was definitely reacting to the sight of unclothed skin; how long _had_ it been since he'd felt a woman's breasts under his palm? Long before Edward, that was for sure.

And…dear Gods, Edward! His blond lover would probably find him so unworthy after all the partners Roy had - admittedly, mentally unwilling - had since Envy had captured him. But as Sara Rockbell kneeled over him, flaunting such silky skin right under his nose, Roy felt his hormone-addled brains melt out his ears. And when she leaned down to kiss him deeply, her hands busy elsewhere about his weak body, all the while whispering words of forgiveness, Roy didn't know if the moan that welled up inside him was from pleasure or pain.

The Flame yanked against the handcuffs that bound him to the stretcher. He had lost track of time, but he knew he had to be in his third month. He hadn't started to show, and he knew that the time for that was fast approaching. Day by day, his body seemed to grow weaker, coming to depend on the vile yet somehow addicting red substance that the homunculi continuously shoved in his face.

God, he missed Edward.

His golden-haired lover seemed like a distant dream after such a long time spent at the mercy of Sins. The darkness and pain pushed away all thoughts and fancies of the golden comfort of Ed's soothing presence. And yet, even without the Fullmetal constantly by his side, Roy found himself always dealing with certain hard body parts.

By this point, he wasn't sure if he was dreaming or imagining the frequent visitors to his bed - or stretcher. He missed the clarity and control of his old life - was it really that long ago? - and dearly wished that he would wake from this nightmare to find Edward snuggled into his side. And if all this was, in fact, happening, he wished to be free from the homunculi's iron clutches.

And rely only on Edward for certain intimate interactions and sexual enjoyment.

The sound of a door opening earned his attention, his heart leaping as a light-haired teen entered the room with a sheepish smile. Even if it wasn't Edward, it was close enough; Roy wasn't picky about the tangible form of his salvation. "Al?" he asked groggily, his ragged voice cutting across the stillness of the warehouse.

Alphonse turned to him, nodding slightly. "Colonel," he said shyly, the dust on the floor muffling his footsteps as he walked towards his brother's boyfriend.

Roy let a small smile turn a corner of his lip upwards. "I'm glad you're here," he continued, voice still scratchy. "Please," he said, not above begging by this point, "get me out of here. Take me to Ed."

"Wait a moment, Colonel," Al admonished, surprising Roy by climbing onto the stretcher - onto _Roy_ \- and letting his weight settle on Roy's chest. At least it wasn't his stomach. "Brother told me to take care of you. And I haven't been doing a very good job of that, have I?"

The Flame shook his head once, not having the energy to do much else.

The younger Elric let his hands slide behind him, one of them fumbling with the belt and buckle of the Colonel's pants. "I promised to _take care of you_ , Colonel. Trust me. I'll make everything better, don't worry. Just lie back and enjoy this, okay? Let me take care of your needs."

Roy was about to protest that the _last_ thing he felt like at the moment was more sexual stimulation. Then he wondered why Alphonse Elric, a happily married youth, was intent on performing unwanted sexual favors for his beloved older brother's gay lover. It just didn't add up. But his musings were cut short when a warm, and very _human_ , hand settled on his bare length, teasing him into hardness. "Mmm, Al," he started to moan, but the intended "stop" never made it past his lips as more moans followed the first. Damn out-of-control hormones.

How could his body betray him by settling for the second Elric when his first choice was unavailable?

And for an instant before moist warmth enveloped throbbing heat, Roy could have sworn he saw a flash of gold.


	8. Deeper Calamities

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter explains where this story branches off from the anime, so beware of spoilers. It branches off around episode 42 (of the 2003 anime version).
> 
> Sorry for the lack of Roy in this chapter. I'm trying to keep the timing right. Last chapter, at the end, I mentioned that Mustang thought he was somewhere in his third month. Meaning a couple weeks had passed since he was kidnapped, since he was captured in the middle of his second month. This chapter went back to focus on the others during those two weeks that Roy was kept chained and abused in Dublith. Now the timing of the events should be aligned again.
> 
> Worship Lina

Alphonse Elric staggered to his knees, collapsing from heatstroke during the long trek to the city of Liore. Where Edward was. He had made a promise to his older brother, and he had not been as watchful as he should have been. The sweltering heat, parched throat, and aching limbs not used to intense physical activity paled in comparison to the guilt and self-hatred that he constantly directed towards himself. The elder Elric brother wasn't the only one with a guilt-complex; Al could give him a run for his money with the way he was so concerned about others' well-being. And when others' well-beings were jeopardized, especially Ed's, the younger Elric immediately felt responsible.

Neither Elric took well to failure.

Continuing to mentally berate himself for such carelessness, Alphonse felt he had failed his brother by not keeping his promise.

_Look after Roy._

Three simple words, and he could not live up to them. Not even half a week into Ed's mission and he'd slipped up.

And to correct that mistake, Alphonse was forced to travel—on foot—to Liore to fetch his older brother and inform him of the drastic events that had recently taken place. Because of the impending war, the trains were shut down between Central and the Eastern border. The young alchemist assumed it was to prevent the rebel faction from receiving inside help from people posted in Central, and to slow down the shipping of the rebels' weaponry.

All assumptions. Just like how he didn't know where Roy had been kidnapped and taken, or how to safely retrieve him. All he had to offer his brother were small hints that could very well be untrue.

But Alphonse Elric would not fail his brother again. For Ed's sake, as well as Roy's, he would march all the way to a stranded desert city by himself, even if it took many days to travel such a long distance by walking.

With strengthened resolve, Alphonse Elric pushed himself to his feet and took his first renewed step, boot sinking in the sand.

-+-

"This is all your fault, runt!" yelled a gruff man from an alleyway, shoving Ed against a nearby wall. "Why did you tell Our Holy Mother to hold off on the attack? Because of you, we have to wait even longer to fulfill our innermost desires!"

Edward struggled against the man's hold, kicking and wriggling until he managed to stand again on his own two feet. Well, technically, one foot was lost to the Gate in accordance with the principle of Equivalent Exchange, but who was complaining? A small trickle of sweat slid down his brow, not because the effort to free himself was taxing, but because the public attitude towards him at the moment was anything but complimentary.

He was the Fullmetal Alchemist, but even he had his limits. For instance, he doubted he could last long against a city-wide rebellion that had, as a whole, turned hate-filled eyes towards him after their leader's important announcement. "Look, I'm sorry, all right?" Ed hardly ever sounded genuinely sorry; such was the case this time. "It's for the best."

Spitting, the rebel deliberately turned and stomped back into the shadows.

Edward was too focused on the enormity of his situation to even throw a tantrum at the word "runt."

-+-

Winry shifted awkwardly from where she sat on the couch, willing herself to relax. "Thank you very much for your hospitality, Mrs. Hughes—oh! I mean, Miss Hughes—no, I mean…" she stammered, blushing heavily while scolding herself for being tactless.

"'Mrs. Hughes' is quite all right, Winry, but feel free to call me Gracia if you wish," the older blonde offered, smiling gently.

The teen let out a whoosh of relief, letting a tentative grin flit across her face. "Thank you," she whispered again, not knowing what else to say to express the magnitude of her emotions.

"Whatcha thankin' us for?" Elysia inquired, clambering up to sit beside Winry on the couch. Hughes' beloved daughter was seven now, but she still possessed the childlike innocence that she possessed three years previously. Even as her heart intimately knew the deep reaches of sorrow and tragedy, the little girl had yet to let it afflict her and dictate her outlook on life.

Startled, Winry answered honestly, "For letting me stay with you. And for helping me and my family."

Gracia was about to say something when Elysia interjected with: "But _we're_ family, silly! You're my big sister, Winry. And families live with each other, and do stuff to help each other out…because that's what families do. And you're part of our family, Big Sister!" There was nothing the older woman could add to that, so she merely nodded to back up her daughter's exclamation.

Feeling a weight lift from her shoulders, Winry Rockbell-Elric sighed and sank back into the couch cushions.

-+-

The Flame's office, though void of a certain Colonel, was still part of the military. As was such, none of Mustang's subordinates were free to run off and save their commanding officer. They knew everything depended on Roy, but it wouldn't do to ruin the image he had spent years perfecting. Roy Mustang was the substantial form of each of their hopes and dreams for a better future, and they all knew they had a part to play.

Hawkeye and the others instinctively knew it was their job to maintain Mustang's work. To continue on as if nothing had happened, to keep up appearances, keeping the office warm until the true Flame returned to get the fire crackling.

Roy trusted his men—and woman—to keep things under control during his absence. It was up to them to carry on his dream and make sure his position at Headquarters wasn't at risk. They were the distraction to interested spectators; they were both the surface and the gears of the Colonel's "become Fuhrer" operation.

They only revolved around a certain central Flame. And when that center was taken disarmingly from their lives, still they functioned, leaning on one another for support. With Lieutenant Fuhrer Hakuro's eye constantly probing their performances, they couldn't allow themselves to fall prey to his disruptive nature; and thereby discredit Mustang's years of military achievement. They could not let their Colonel return to the military with a soiled reputation. It was up to them to prevent this whole disaster from ending in court-martial.

"What do we do?"

Lieutenant Hawkeye had the only available answer: "We carry on."

-+-

"I adore my flesh body, but there are times when a suit of armor could be quite useful and convenient," Al mused, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "No tiredness, no need for food…or water…" He stopped, swaying a bit under the bright, afternoon sun. "Still, I am glad of my good fortune."

He cringed, hearing Lust's accusatory words float back to his ears: _Sloth and Wrath mysteriously disappeared, right around the time of your new body, might I add…_

Resolutely shaking his head, he forced himself not to think of it. Always, since the moment he got his body back, there was someone beside him, calming his fears and soothing his conscience. Edward. And then Winry. Especially Winry. But now, he was utterly alone, vulnerable to the condemning voices in his head. Voices that were no longer lying dormant in the recesses of his mind, no longer pushed back by the steady presence of unwavering support.

"I'm beginning to think things were much simpler when I was in the armor," the younger Elric sighed, half-believing it in spite of himself.

-+-

"Elysia, stop that!" Gracia snapped, frowning at her daughter as the young girl dropped the knives she was holding. The loud clatter of silverware hitting the floor rang in the kitchen.

The seven-year-old looked abashed, eyes downcast from the reprimand. "I was only gonna set the table to help you with dinner, Mommy," she explained, scuffing her toe against the ground in a sheepish manner. A giggle escaped from Winry's mouth at the cuteness, and the frown transformed into a small smile as Gracia took in the situation.

"Sweetie, dinner isn't going to be ready for another couple hours. Why don't you find something to play with until then?" the mother asked, retrieving the knives from the floor.

Elysia's face brightened considerably. "Can we go to the park?"

It took a lot of will-power to say "no" to that pleading face, but Gracia somehow managed it. "I'm sorry, Elysia. Mommy has work to do at home. Why don't you play with your dolls?"

Seeing the disappointed look on the little girl's face, Winry stepped in. "I can take her. After all, that's what families do. What kind of big sister would I be if I didn't take this adorable little rascal to the park for a couple hours?" the teen asked, holding the younger in a loose headlock and ruffling her hair. "Besides," she added, "it could be fun. Right, Elysia?"

There was a moment of silence as the two waited for an answer from the little girl. Winry looked down, noticing that the head of blond hair was nowhere to be seen; little kids tended to move fast when they were motivated, and Elysia really wanted to visit the park. Both women twisted about to see Elysia already waiting impatiently by the front door. "Come _on_ , Winry!"

The little girl giggled and raced across the playground, pigtails bouncing as she ran. "Look, Winry, a ball!" she exclaimed, the sheer joy in her expression at something so simple making the teen laugh.

It was hard to imagine the kinds of cruelty which existed outside the bubble of innocence surrounding children. Like Elysia. The future burned bright and deep in the little girl, the child's manner seeming a reprieve from worldly troubles. A haven of virtue as compared to the disaster surrounding the Elrics and anybody connected to them.

Winry flashed her teeth at her 'little sister' and took a step closer.

With a mischievous smile adorning her face, Elysia turned and kicked the red ball in the opposite direction from Winry. Laughing wildly, she ran to retrieve it, glancing over her shoulder to make sure Winry was following; she was. The child's laughter abruptly stopped as she ran headlong into the knee of a passer-by. The ball rolled innocently a few feet beyond the blond man walking through the park.

The teen halted, too, staring at the man on the park's pathway. He looked…very familiar; she couldn't place it. Elysia stumbled back from the impact, apologizing incessantly. "Gee, mister, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to run into you!"

Chuckling slowly, the man reached down to pat her on the forehead. "Don't worry about it. I'm not hurt, see?" He made a show of inspecting his hands, just to assure her. After they were both satisfied he was unharmed, he reached over and handed the young Hughes her ball.

Winry sighed and strode over, debating with herself on whether or not she should scold Elysia for being careless. Then again, it was just a game, and Elysia didn't mean anything by it. Before she could make up her mind, a couple new voices joined the scene.

"Why, Gluttony. It seems to me we've cornered Elric blood."

-+-

Alphonse groaned and fell over onto the sand; only raising his head to be sure the sun was going down. It was dusk, and he couldn't be more thankful. He needed rest; he'd walked all day to get to Liore. He still had yet to reach the city, and he was pretty sure that would take a few days yet, but he had made good progress for just one day. If he kept it up, he'd be seeing Ed in no time.

Then again, did he really want to see Ed? Doing so would mean admitting his failure, and if there was anything Alphonse detested, it was seeing his brother upset. He longed to see his brother's face, though he dreaded the confrontation just as much. Even worse than Ed's bouts of homicidal rage were those times Edward fell completely silent, drawn in unto himself in his own little protective shell.

His body caught up on rest, but his thoughts and worries continued to plague his conscience; he couldn't turn his brain off. And here in the middle of nowhere, he had nothing to do but give in to the painful, tender memories.

_"Brother, he…"_

_Edward glanced at his armored younger brother sharply. "'He?'" the blonde repeated frantically, gloved hands checking over Al's metallic body. "You don't seem too worse off," he mumbled a second later, sighing in relief._

_A frightened Alphonse continued to shake, mentally biting his tongue as he searched for words. "Scar!" he finally blurted out, eyes glowing brighter with intensity._

_"Scar?" Ed echoed his younger brother's words yet again, a surprised tone lacing his voice. "What about him? Is he all right? The last thing I remember about him was him instructing me where to lead the Liore citizens to safety. Al, they dug a tunnel out of the town to avoid the military! I've no idea where Scar went off to, though."_

_The helm of Al's armor creaked as he shook his head. "No, Brother…" he whispered._

_The Fullmetal frowned. "No_ what _, Al? What happened?"_

_Before the younger Elric could answer, a female voice cut in to their conversation. "Scar has turned your brother into the Philosopher's Stone," the voice of Lyra informed. "Why don't you check inside the chest plate?"_

_Both the Elrics turned as one to see Lyra, accompanied by Rose and her baby. The isolated group stood near the remains of buildings, between broken arches and pillars, near where the escape tunnel ended. The rest of the Liore citizens had already started breaking up into smaller groups in which to hide amongst various cities._

_Hand trembling, Edward slowly tugged open the front of Al's armor, gasping and backing away in surprise as the red glow of the Philosopher's Stone shone, even in the sunlight. "How can this be…?" he whispered in awe and astonishment._

_"He transmuted_ my _body into the Stone, Brother," Al whispered back. "Not his own."_

 _"Why would he_ do _that?" Ed roared and kicked a sand dune._

_Rose trembled off to the side, clutching her baby. She hunched over him, shielding him from any potential harm, eyes glittering with tears at what had happened to her city and her friends. Lyra glanced sideways at the shivering girl and smiled, a bit coldly, before approaching the two teenagers._

_"Does it matter why he did it?" Lyra interjected in her sickeningly sweet way. "It only matters that now you have what you have been searching for. Think of all the possibilities! The Philosopher's Stone can be used for so_ many _things…you can live out your dream and get your bodies back. Just think of it!"_

_Edward and Alphonse looked at one another doubtfully. "But we don't know how to use the Stone," Ed protested. "And we can't risk losing Al! If Al's the Stone, then he embodies the powers of the greatest alchemic amplifier. If that power's used up, then what happens to Al…?"_

_Rose continued to shake._

_"Don't worry," Lyra assured calmly. "I know how to use the Philosopher's Stone."_

_Everyone stared at her in shock._

_"What?" she giggled. "I studied under Dante. Before she died, she taught me all about the legendary Philosopher's Stone. I learned everything of value from her; I'd hate for such knowledge to go to waste, especially when I have the chance to help you two charming boys."_

_Ed's jaw dropped open as he continued to stare at her. "Wha?" he asked, dazedly._

_"Before you start jumping for joy at having found the Stone, you might want to make sure you're in a place where no one can steal that power. Now, dears, haven't I always taught you to share?"_

_Alphonse jumped to his feet, exclaiming, "Mother!"_

_Edward whirled around glaring. "She's not our mom!" he corrected harshly, golden eyes narrowing at the appearance of Sloth. And Wrath, who never left Sloth's side, stood right beside her._

_Lyra smirked to herself, eyes glinting. "Edward, you hold them off while I take Alphonse to safety! We cannot let the homunculi get their hands on the Stone!"_

_The Elrics turned to stare at her, remembering at the last minute that she knew of the homunculi through Greed and Dante._

_Sloth chuckled and melted into a puddle once their backs were turned, sliding across the stone pavement littered with sand. Wrath, following her lead, laid his hand on a loose stone and transmuted his arm into a spear. By the time the alchemists noticed them approaching, it was too late to run. Ed growled and transmuted his automail arm into a blade, swiping at the air in angry strokes._

_Rose quivered, still a good distance from the action. "Edward!"_

_Edward stood in front of his younger brother, left arm spread wide beside him to prevent passage. "You're not getting my little brother!"_

_Then the homunculi were upon them, Sloth wrapping watery tendrils around the older brother, trapping him in place, and Wrath swinging his deadly arm in Ed's direction. "This time, I'll take your entire body for myself. This is the day I become human!"_

_Alphonse mentally glared and darted in front of Wrath, letting the blade bounce off his armor with a ping. "I won't let you hurt my brother," he said calmly, yet with a warning edge to it._

_Wrath laughed, even as Ed managed to free one arm and bring his hand about to clap the other. The blonde grunted and thrust his hand in Wrath's direction to protect himself via alchemy, not expecting his alchemy-charged fingers to brush against Al's armor. To brush against the Stone._

_A complex array glowed suddenly red on Al's armor, responding to the touch of an alchemist._

_Lyra darted forward into the fray, just as the glow brightened considerably, obscuring everything but the red, pulsing light. Mixed screams sounded in the air, followed by what sounded like stones raining down. At each clang of another stone hitting the ground, the red light grew brighter, as if responding to the true Stone's power and influence._

_Ed couldn't breathe, caught in the midst of churning, raw alchemy. He closed his eyes against the light, repeating his life's goal in his head:_ Restore Al's body. Make everything normal again!

_Right as the red seemed to clear instantly from the atmosphere, a lasting scream split the air, only this time coming from somewhere nowhere near the battle. The blonde opened one eye, squinting in the direction of the scream. Rose! The brown-and-pink-haired girl had fallen to her knees, head hanging._

_Feeling different, Ed peered downwards, surprised to find himself free; Sloth no longer had him pinned. Speaking of which, neither Sloth nor Wrath seemed to be anywhere in the area; nor did Lyra. But all these thoughts fled from Edward's mind as he noticed a flesh teenager lying on the ground, the anchoring seal of Al's old armor split and cracked only a few feet away._

_"Alphonse?" he asked raggedly. He hadn't meant for everything to happen so quickly! He'd wanted to study the Stone and be sure of their success before trying to restore Al's body. But apparently, pure instinct had done the job for him. Instinct, the Stone, and the sacrifices of two homunculi full of Red Stones and one alchemist friend._

_Al shuddered, coughing as he came to some time later. "Brother?" he asked, still twitching on the sand. He felt warm and scratchy, the sand tickling his bare feet; a cloth was draped over his waist, concealing his privates from the world and - wait, that meant…"BROTHER!"_

"BROTHER!"

-+-

With a start, Edward's head shot up, eyes anxiously darting to and fro. "Al?" he whispered sadly, then shook his head. He was imagining things. Always, in times of distress, he had relied on his younger brother. And, on the rare occasions that Al wasn't available, he had leaned on Mustang. So was it any surprise that now, when he was feeling alone and confused, he heard his brother's voice calling to him?

"I hope they're okay," the blonde mumbled to himself, thinking again of the two most important people in his life. All day, he had gone around Liore and tried to dissuade people from the idea of war. All he'd gotten in return were jibes, punches, and mud splattered on his face. Why did people have to be so stupidly stubborn? And couldn't people see that he wasn't short? He'd grown, dammit!

He didn't feel like returning to Rose's place. Even though she had compromised regarding the time of attack didn't mean she was any friendlier towards him. And Edward was just as upset with her. Speaking of stupidly stubborn people…

"Al," he murmured again, looking off into the sunset. "I need your help. You were always the people person. What would you do in my situation?" With another forlorn sigh, Ed leaned his back against a wall of a shop and slid down into a sitting position. "If you were here with me, back in Liore…"

The Elrics' last visit to the desert city had been a mixture of elation and extreme grief. They'd retrieved Al's human body, but only at the cost of three lives. Of course, Ed was immensely glad that Al was whole, but he was never at ease with the cost. Even if Sloth and Wrath _were_ two soulless beings intent on destruction, Ed never felt comfortable with the idea of killing. Even when he'd killed Greed, he'd done so only because he thought it would help Alphonse be safe and sound. And then, when he realized the homunculus had already let his younger brother go…and that his death had been in vain…

Ed shook his head. He didn't want to think about that. He couldn't! Roy wasn't here to distract him from the guilt. The entire rush of getting Al's body back had left Ed feeling powerless, because he didn't have control of the alchemy being performed around his very being. He'd survived being in the very middle of the Philosopher's Stone, combined with the weaker power of Red Stones, at work.

And Al had been restored. Ed's limbs were still automail, but that was nothing he couldn't live with. If only Lyra, Sloth, and Wrath had been spared by the Gate…but the Gate always took what it considered a fair price…at least Al hadn't had to give up anything…

After the whole fiasco, Ed had taken Al and Rose back to the military's encampment, where they learned of Archer's assault on the city, Kimbley's death, and Scar's tragic end. Rose had disappeared among the few remaining soldiers once they got there.

Roy had been there to support them, as always, civil enough not to bring up the arguments of a few days previous. The Colonel only comforted them; he didn't reek of an "I-told-you-so" air. He'd been right; there were things that existed too far beyond Ed's control.

After an indeterminate amount of time, Rose had reappeared. With the Fuhrer by her side. "So, it's over?"

And they assumed it was.

The disbanded citizens of Liore ended up in different cities around Amestris, some even traveling as far east as Youswell. Everywhere they went, they shared their story of the military's treachery. Many of the other towns, also having been victims of the State at one time or another, sympathized with the now-homeless vagabonds. Eventually, enough people rallied together to rebuild Liore, exactly where the original city had stood before it got swallowed up by the Stone's power. Or at least that's what people thought, since their homes mysteriously vanished.

Those who supported the citizens of Liore had then rallied together for a different cause, one in the interest of people all over the country: taking down the State. If the government could cause so much harm, then it shouldn't have the power to control the land. The Liore incident was the last straw.

Edward understood where the people were coming from, and his own place in the story. But he had yet to understand how to connect with them. Telling them they were wrong didn't seem to be working.

Alphonse, always the peace-maker, would know how to handle things. Or Roy, the military diplomat. Did Hakuro send him, the Fullmetal, because it was well-known that his actions only spurred violence? After all, the military hadn't engaged in a good war for years.

And under Fuhrer King Bradley, a few years was a very long time to be out of warfare.

-+-

Elysia whimpered and clung to the blond man's hand, grabbing it between chubby fingers. "Who are you?" she asked, stomping her foot in childish anger at the homunculi's interference with her games.

Winry gasped, recognizing the two from the previous night. Al had known them, and had been afraid of them. "What do you want?" she screamed at them. If only she had that wrench…!

Lust chuckled, "Not _you_. Gluttony and I have no business with little girls." Her gaze swiveled to the man shielding Elysia. "However, we do have _serious_ business with the man that That Person has been trying to hunt down for centuries. You've run out of places to hide, Hohenheim of Light. It's time you were involved with the happenings of the real world. It's actually quite an interesting place," the homunculus assured. "What with respectable military alchemists getting pregnant and kidnapped, a rebellion in the making…you've missed out on a lot. And you'd be curious to know that it's all for the Stone. You've always been interested in _that_ , haven't you? After all, you abandoned your family for alchemy's sake. I suppose I should thank you. If you hadn't left, your eldest son might not have been crippled, emotionally and physically; his instability has made him an easy target to mold for our Master's purposes."

The blond man shook, glaring at the two homunculi. "I admit I was a fool," he said in a low voice, but one that carried across the park nonetheless. "But I'm afraid your guilt-trips aren't enough to weaken me."

Winry gasped. That was why the man looked so familiar, so…like _Edward_. Because this man was Ed and Al's long-lost father, Hohenheim. Her father-in-law. The mechanic gulped. She wanted Elysia with her, and not in the range of the homunculi's attack. The shock and sorrow and anger built up, causing her to fall to her knees in the middle of the playground.

Hohenheim looked at the huddled form in the middle of the park; she looked so familiar…But even he knew Sara Rockbell had been killed in the Ishbal War…

The voluptuous homunculus sighed with an air of indifference. "We can go back and forth all day exchanging petty words, but it won't change anything. You're coming with us. And who knows? You might just see the Fullmetal brat one last time before you die - together."

 _Fullmetal brat…?_ Hohenheim scrunched his forehead in confusion. He'd stopped keeping track of the flow of the real world after he'd learned of Trisha's death; the grief had been enough to block out any other concerns. Even his own sons. And when he had finally set out to find them, around the time that he knew Dante was manipulating affairs in Liore, the homunculi had hunted him down and forced him to hide in the shadows. The only reason they would come after him was if the Liore Philosopher's Stone had been a failure. Actually, the name 'Fullmetal' _was_ one heard all over the place…why couldn't he place it, though?

His brief touches with reality were confusing him. He only watched for any signs of Dante's activity, since her obsession with the Stone was the entire reason he left Trisha and the boys in the first place. The name 'Fullmetal' had a feeling of importance in both Dante's schemes and in his personal life. But why?

"I've lived many lifetimes, but I won't die at Dante's hands!" Hohenheim resisted. So saying, he tugged one hand free from Elysia's grip, clapped his hands, dropped to his knees, and sent a wall of spikes hurtling in the homunculi's direction.

Gluttony barely managed to avoid the attack; he immediately tried to start chewing a spike. Lust was quicker, but her attention stayed focused on the famous alchemist. "He doesn't need circles?" she gasped, eyes wide. "Gluttony, let's go. We're finished here." Her fat companion looked at her with pleading eyes before he finally waddled over to her. Lust sighed. "Don't mistake your fortune. We'll be back for you!" The two retreated into the foliage, the snapping of twigs sounding their rushed exit.

Hohenheim let his shoulders slump. Elysia sniffled.

Winry calmly pushed herself to her feet and approached the other two. "Mr. Hohenheim?" she asked hesitantly. The man looked at her with gold eyes, so like Ed's own. "I'm Winry Rockbell," she introduced herself, deciding to hold off on her new surname, "and I wouldn't blame you if you didn't remember me. I didn't really remember you, after all."

He smiled and sadly shook his head. "After so much time, it's hard to keep a clear head. Your mother was a dear friend of mine, you know?" he asked, changing the subject.

As Winry nodded, Elysia tugged on the man's arm. "Mister, you protected me from those bad people! My momma's making stew for dinner! Can you join us? Big Sister knows you, so that means you're part of our family, too." The seven-year-old smiled cutely up at him, her pigtails bouncing.

After a long minute of silence and indecision, Hohenheim nodded. Glancing at Winry, he answered, "I'd be honored."

-+-

The memories of his last visit to Liore made Edward crinkle his forehead. Thinking about the Stone…it brought up questions. Was his last visit to the desert city somehow connected to his present mission? Was Roy's pregnancy merely a coincidence? An entire barrage of questions flew through the blonde's head, making it swirl with the possibilities.

Did being exposed to the Philosopher's Stone power somehow factor into the bizarreness of Roy's pregnancy? After all, Edward had only topped once. It was true that once was all it took, but was there some greater force at work? Did some unseen side-effect of the Stone _react_ with another side-effect brought about by Roy's experiments, thereby increasing the _probability_ of pregnancy? Were Roy's experiments somehow close in nature to the Stone, with similar alchemic energy waves?

Was it possible that, despite the alchemic experimentation, Roy could not have gotten pregnant had he been intimate with anyone but Edward? Were the Stone's capabilities passed on to him _through_ Edward when Ed had been inside him, fused to the core? Perhaps it wasn't entirely the experimentation at fault; it was possible that the Stone's dormant powers had awakened, most likely in response to a result of the experiment.

It was confusing to think about.

Shaking his head from these thoughts, Edward decided to go see what Rose was up to. Even if they were upset with each other, he couldn't keep avoiding her forever. Besides, she _had_ invited him to live with her for the duration of his stay, and it was inevitable that they run into each other since they were sharing living accommodations. And on top of that, the city's rebels and their taunts were really getting to him. (How many times must he repeatedly shout at them about how much he'd _grown_? He was not smaller than a grain of sand!)

Sighing, he sought refuge in the house, if he could even call Rose's house a "refuge." He trotted to the room with the telephone, yet again peering sneakily into the room. He wanted to talk to her; why was he cowardly hiding behind the wooden door? Perhaps it was just habit; he'd witnessed a lot of disturbing events by spying on Rose through this room, so maybe it was just his natural reaction by this point.

Edward was not disappointed; there could not be anything more shocking than the scene he was witnessing. Golden eyes widened as Rose held up a Red Stone - a _Red Stone_ \- and lifted up her sleeve to reveal dry patches of rotting skin. Where had Rose gotten one of those? He'd made sure to discard all the Red Stones that had been secretly put in his State-issued watch during his last visit to Liore, and as far as he could tell, none of the rebels in the city seemed to be capable of advanced alchemy. That question aside, what had happened to her _arm_? Ed seriously doubted it was a simple bad skin condition. It was, truthfully, quite sickening to see the inner layers of skin decomposing, like a living corpse. But Rose wasn't dead…

As he was pondering, the blonde almost had a heart attack when his longtime friend used the Red Stone to regenerate the skin cells on her arm. How was that even possible, and how did the situation come about to begin with?

The Red Stone wasn't nearly as powerful as the true Philosopher's Stone, but a multitude of Red Stones could count as a heavy alchemic amplifier. It was partly in thanks to the Red Stones from Sloth and Wrath that Al got his body back, after all.

"That's better," Rose said to herself. "I can't keep using the Red Stones to repair this body, though. I need the Philosopher's Stone _now_ so I can switch to a younger body! At least one of my plans is bound to succeed," she laughed. "And in the best case scenario, the rebellion and that pregnant wretch will provide me with the power I crave!"

Edward backed away from the room, breathing heavily. The mysteries surrounding Rose just swirled deeper and deeper. Since when could Rose use alchemy? And what did she mean, "switching bodies"?

-+-

In the middle of the desert, days later, Alphonse was nearing the city of Liore. He'd stopped in towns along the way for rest and supplies, but he was still making good progress considering he was walking across the country by himself, plodding through the desolate desert wasteland.

How could Liore survive in the middle of nothing but sand?

He was still apprehensive about seeing his brother and telling Edward the bad news, but he knew Edward deserved to know the truth. Al took a deep breath as the city came into view on the horizon. He could do this. He _could_.

-+-

Hohenheim turned another page of the alchemy book he was reading, jotting down notes in the margins. He had been staying with the Hughes family, and Winry, for a little over a week. All three females had been glad of having him stay, something about him providing protection for them during difficult times…

He still had no clue about the name 'Fullmetal' though, or how it connected to him or Dante. The people in the Hughes household were skittish, and it never seemed the right time to ask. He figured he had all the time in the world, though. Dante wasn't smart enough to create the Stone by herself.

Winry and the others were hiding something from him. He knew it; he could tell.

Eventually, he would find out all their secrets. He _would_.

-+-

Edward hadn't had the opportunity to talk to Rose about what he'd seen. Even if he approached her, she was clearly avoiding him. Well, he _was_ trying to get her rebels to abandon their ideas of warfare, so it made sense that she'd be pissed at him.

In the days since he'd seen her use the Red Stone, and had time to mull over her words, he'd come to one startling conclusion. Actually, it wasn't that startling; he had just been blind and distracted.

She had been talking about the Philosopher's Stone. _…The rebellion and that pregnant wretch will provide me with the power I crave…_

He didn't understand the second part of her plan—about the pregnant wretch—but he could guess at the rebellion's role in her schemes. Of course, she wanted to turn this rebellion into another Ishbal and a repeat of the last Liore incident, only on a grander scale. The lives lost in this rebellion would fuel the Stone's power. All of the rebels were at serious risk of being sacrificed for the sake of alchemy; he had an even greater reason now to prevent them from fighting. But had the Fullmetal Alchemist lost his influence over the Common Man?

-+-

"What does our Master hope to do by using the Red Water?" Pride asked, striding over to Envy and looking at the abused pregnant man.

Envy sniffed disdainfully and held up a vial of the foul liquid. "Do you remember a man named Mugear a few years back? We showed him how to use the Red Water in his mine. One of his theories was to use the Red Water on pregnant women to create the Philosopher's Stone. Since Mustang has already been subjected to alchemic changes in his body, it gives us a new opportunity to see if Mugear's experiment could actually work."

The homunculus with the eye-patch raised an eyebrow. "Then why not just use the Red Water on pregnant women, since that was the original idea?"

The oldest homunculus shrugged. "Master abandoned the idea for a time, choosing to focus on warfare as a surefire way to create the Stone. She didn't want to devote any of her time to seeing if Mugear's theories panned out; it takes a lot of time and effort to manipulate the entire country to do your bidding, you know."

Pride growled. "Yes, I know."

"That Person remembered Mugear's plan when she learned of the Flame Colonel's pregnancy. It's already an unheard of event - a male pregnancy - so why not play around with it? Mustang makes a fun play tool," Envy cackled.

His companion sneered, "And the baby? After everything you've been doing to the Flame, do you honestly think the baby is even alive in there?"

"Hopefully not," the oldest remarked. "Hopefully, by this point, the Red Water will already be taking effect and turning the fetus into the Philosopher's Stone."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I had plans, but for the life of me I cannot remember where I was going with this. Someone please invent time travel so I can ask my younger self.
> 
> That being said, if anyone wants to adopt this work, then please feel free. Just let me know. <3
> 
> ~~There is a very, very slight possibility I could be persuaded to continue, but I'd need a lot of help bouncing ideas and trying to re-plot future chapters. If someone else was inspired to write, then it would probably come out better.~~
> 
> If not, I hope you've enjoyed the story thus far.


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